Unnecessary Culture Shock
by CaBu
Summary: Future cook and self proclaimed 'number one dragon hater', Hea, returns to Berk from an eighteen-month voyage only to find the tiny island occupied by dragons! She can either turn tail and run from her fear or face it like a 'real' Viking! OCs, HiccupxOC.
1. Act One

I do not own any part of HTTYD, just the characters: Rye, Hea and Bug. Thank you.

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"_The reason why the flowers smell sweet, the reason why the birds sing, the reason why the wind shines, the reason why the moon revolves, the reason why I convey my love to you like this. It's all so you can love someone, someday."- _Born to be a Lady (translated), SNSD.

Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act One

Rye was far more familiar with Berk than ever before. After all, she had lived on the damn island long enough! Years spent living on what seemed to be a primitive isle seemed to fly by much faster than she expected. It seemed like just yesterday she and her younger sister, Hea, had come to Berk sailing upon a small cargo ship. Sure they weren't exactly passengers but what the heck, why not? After all both girls yearned for so much more than a single city in the middle of nowhere. They needed, craved some kind of journey! Berk in one simple sense was just that, an endless and often unexpected journey.

Ugh, how many had it been exactly? Five at the very least anyway.

The woman, who half a decade ago came to this island, moved about her small house with ease. Ah, just the way she liked it, simple. There wasn't any need for extravagant things all she needed was the bare minimum. After all this was a Viking island! What did they need other than fresh water and food? The glasses she wore on her face were fancy enough.

Rye moved away from her lone bed and waltzed across the small cottage until she found herself in front of her front door. Before she moved her arm outward to pop open the door, she moved both arms up over her head and stretched. Muscles clenched then relaxed within seconds of the movement and afterward she released a long sigh. Sure, things were different now but she could tolerate that.

Everything had changed after that strange boy decided to change the world by befriending a _dragon. _Who would have thought that one kid could make such a difference in a world that once rejected him? Hiccup wasn't always popular, even if everyone knew his name. In fact, he was popular for the very fact that he was 'useless'. And now? Things were very, _very _different.

Who knew that all those centuries of fighting the flying beasts would lead to this? Ugh hell, just one week before the dragons became the newest pets on Berk, the Vikings had held their own against a raid. Then that strange kid came along and found himself his first and most loyal friend, a _Night Fury_. Geez, talk about weird!

Rye wasn't one to embrace change but this, this was different; having pet dragons around wasn't so bad after all. Things changed, sure but for the better. Besides, how could she reject those large green eyes that the Night Fury, Toothless, presented her with? The way he gummed down his food and whined when he needed attention, it was almost too much to bear! Did it take time for her to adjust? Most definitely but it was well worth the stress of change. Berk buzzed with more life than ever before and she was just fine with that.

Although there was a single draw back to the newfound pets of Berk, she was kinda out of a job! Up until six months ago, Rye was very busy with her career of healing fallen Vikings but now? Ugh, not so much as a scratch _anyone_ let alone someone like Stoick. Then again, there was the occasional flu bug that spread throughout the small isle. It wasn't that she _enjoyed_ seeing/healing sick/injured people but it did kinda make her feel…well, important. Ah well, why should she complain? Things were good.

Things were only going to get better, if they weren't good all ready. After all, Hea was to return from her long voyage from across the ocean! Her younger sis had left the small island a year and a half ago in search of better cooking and baking techniques, since the pickin's on Berk were pretty slim. All in all she was what Hiccup liked to call a 'bread-making Viking'. Ah! But it had been too long! The two girls had _never_ been separated this long, a reunion was long overdue.

Shaking her memories and thoughts over sibling out of her head, Rye returned to her daily routines and placed her hand on the doorknob. With a single twist, the door popped open and she stepped into the light of the day. Of course it was a rare occurrence, having such sunny weather but she wasn't one to complain.

She stepped further into the sunlight, embracing the warmth that she knew would only come once in a blue moon. Days like these, she would have to appreciate them. With whatever luck she had, she would have to wish that Hea would arrive on a day as stunning as this.

But! It was time to snap back to reality. Even with all of her wishes and prayers, the rain and snow would no doubt return. With a small groan she walked toward the small pile of firewood. Ugh, such a small pile, that meant she was going to have to go back to the forest and get some more. With the arrival of her sister, the house was going to have _some_ kind of heat. Ah, might as well bring in what she had, for the time being anyway. Rye bent down and prepared herself to pluck a few decent sized slabs of lumber but before her delicate fingers could touch the wood, a large shadow darkened her work area.

"Ah, Rye."

She knew that voice well. The face of Stoick the Vast appeared in her head before she could stand up straight and whirl around to face him. A smirk crawled across her cheeks as she stood. There _had_ to be something the village leader needed, after all it wasn't every day that he appeared at her doorstep. The fact that she wasn't a 'true Viking' had something to do with it, she was sure. She turned to face the older male with a grin; it was in her best interest to keep the peace.

"Hey Stoick," She said in an uppity tone. "What's new?"

"Ah," He released a long sigh before crossing his arms over his massive chest. "Same old, same old."

"How's your baby chick?" Rye asked with a single brow lifted, her smirk remaining on her face.

"Hiccup? He's managing. That leg of his isn't slowing him down any, if that's what you're wondering." A small smile cracked across his features.

Hm, so the papa duck was finally realizing his baby chick's potential? Hm, it was about time someone did. After all it was hard to force a baby chicken into the water when that wasn't his nature. Stoick had always been rough on his only son but it was to be expected, wasn't it? They were Vikings! Then there was the fact that the entire village followed after their leader and dubbed Hiccup useless. Hell, if she wasn't always so busy with her own work maybe she would had a sit down with the boy? Then again, that could have hindered him more than helped, right? Ugh, it was best she kept out of the limelight in any event.

"Still defying your law, is he?" She moved his fisted hand to her hip.

"Without a doubt." He nodded as the smirk grew into a full-blown smile.

Ah and there it was, the smile that Stoick the Vast would never allow Hiccup to see. The smile that meant that he was proud of his only son. It was a sight rarely seen but in the past few months had become more common. She couldn't deny the father that right, not after what Hiccup achieved. He brought down the great war between Vikings and dragons that had lasted centuries. It went further than amazing, it was biblical in a sense.

"So that sister of yours is on her way home, isn't she?"

Rye was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Stoick's deep voice. She focused her attention on his face to see that his smile had gone. "Yeah," She said with a nod. "She should be here by tomorrow."

"Ah," He removed his arms from his chest and cupped his chin. "So I take it you're busy preparing the house?"

"Yes." She lifted a brow.

What was _that_ about? Did that mean he wanted her to do something for him? Ugh, there had to be a reason he came down to her house, the large man never did anything without a motive. Was it more than common knowledge that the 'Viking doctor' had nothing better to do?

"Was there something you needed?" She finally asked, all while chewing on the inside of her cheek.

Stoick shifted his stance; perhaps he was caught off guard? He moved both hands to his hips and grunted. "Some of our old texts need some 'updating'." He said in a frank tone. "I wanted to fill in the gaps about dragon training and behavior."

Ah so that was it. But why her out of everyone? Shit, it had to be that she was the best person to know about dragon-inflicted wounds. Where they strike and how to protect oneself against rouge dragons that had yet to be trained.

"Ah," Her brows arched to the top of her forehead. "I see."

"Gobber wanted to work with you." And there was his excuse.

Leave it to Stoick to give a crafty excuse when it came to his true intentions. Perhaps it was the fact that she wasn't a true Viking that he wasn't so trusting around her. But all that fell to the way side when it came to Gobber. The Viking with the strangest views and sense of humor had to be her closest comrade on the Berk. The two got along on subjects that no one else understood and when Stoick saw that coming from a _female _foreigner it had to rub him the wrong way.

"I think I can do that." Rye said with a single nod of her head.

"Hiccup will be helping as well."

"Of course." Rye moved her hand to her face and adjusted her glasses. "Couldn't work on something like that without your chick."

"So you're going to help?" He asked with a single brow lifted.

"Sure." She gave a quick shrug of her shoulders. "Just give me time to set up everything for Hea and I'll be ready."

"Good."

And without so much as a good bye, Stoick turned on his heel and stepped away from her property. So much for gratitude! Ugh, perhaps things would change once he saw how much help she could be! He was impressed when Hiccup turned around, right? Not like she could ever match _his_ achievements. Ah well, it was something to do. And if there was something she was going to set her mind on doing, she was going to do it well.

There was no doubt about that.

XoXoX

Dragging a pile of firewood back to her place sucked, seeing as she was _alone_. No man around to help with the lifting and carrying? Ugh, it was a bummer but at least Hea would be back in a few hours, then _she_ could help with all the heavy lifting! But there was always that one spot in her heart that her younger sister could _not_ fill. The thought of having a life partner, it was more than just a fluffy dream it was a goal. Well, at least sometime in her life it would be a goal, she was still young, right? She was twenty-two for Odin's sake! She had the rest of her life to settle down and have kids!

But why did the days alone feel so much longer than days spent alongside her best friend?

Ah, in any event nothing could be done about it at this instant, might as well roll with what she had! She had to make the best of whatever life threw at her, no matter how tough or hard things got! That's what living amongst Vikings had taught her, one of the only things she found thankful for Berk for. The people living here had given her the gift of a tougher skin, with all their sly comments about her not being 'a real Viking'; it had come back in a positive way.

_And_ since living here for the number of years that she had, the people around her seemed to grow accustom to her being around. The fact that she was the village doctor seemed to help, after all why would anyone bite the hand that fed them? At least they would smile _and_ wave to her now.

There was only one person on this blasted island who appreciated her from the moment she and her sis stepped foot on the sandy shores. Ah, what would she do without Gobber around? He was the only _person_ that actually greeted her with a smile and offer of Berk's freshest ale. He was someone she could hang around without having to worry about how her hair looked or watch over every word she said. Hell, if there were ever a 'runner up' for Gobber's best friend, she would have to be it!

But, there _was_ one other person that didn't feel negatively about her living on the island. In fact he didn't seem to feel much of _anything_. That damn kid, Hiccup. The once loner and outcast had never once thrown her a glare of curled his lip at her appearance. She would look his way, he would look hers, and they'd continue their business. They had never had much of a reason to talk to one another, but that was about to change. Obviously.

The work on these new books was something that Rye had never thought she'd be a part of. Shit, who would have ever imagined that dragons would become a part of the Viking's everyday life?! And now here she was, helping that strange kid and Gobber write new books with new information. What the hell was she supposed to help with anyway; it wasn't like she had ever come into that close contact with dragons, outside the injury aspect, so what was with Gobber's sudden request?

But she might as well. What else did she have to do anyway? It wasn't like there were any future raids to worry about now. Until the next epidemic came around, her schedule was pretty empty. Maybe this was a small blessing in disguise?

She knew where Hiccup resided, hell didn't everyone? He _was_ the son of the village leader, one day to become the next man in charge! That all being said/thought assuming the said boy did hop on his dragon and fly off into the sunset. Berk promised so much less than what he obviously needed. Then again things had begun to change!

Boy, was Hea in for the shock of her life in twenty-four hours!

She had to press her thoughts into the back of her mind, for the time being, as she stepped up to the house that shielded the young dragon trainer from the elements. She squinted her eyes, allowing them to focus on the silhouette that stood outside the front door. The dark shadow's size gave away the identity of the blurred image. No one could mistake that small, skinny boy!

"Hiccup!" Rye extended her arm out into the air just before she broke into a dash. "Hey!"

His image became clearer with each step until she saw the smaller boy with a number of strange foreign objects in his hands. A leather saddle of some sort hung out of his right hand while some kind of wing device dropped to the ground after he was alerted by the call of his name.

Were those things for Toothless? Rye had never seen the rare black Night Fury up close; it wasn't like she _needed_ to or anything. Of course she had seen him the day Hiccup was to slay his first dragon and the one time after when the fever-ridden boy woke from his long sleep but never after that. She had heard stories from Gobber that Hiccup had made some kind of prosthetic wing for the dragon who had lost its natural limb after that night of the 'accident'.

Hm, maybe he was making an improvement to the old design?

"Rye?" The younger boy stood up right and gazed at her with a single brow lifted.

He appeared confused, but why? Then again it wasn't like the two talked all that much. He knew her name but that was about it. On the other hand, she knew all about the boy's difficulties with socializing and less than wonderful past with his father. Even if she knew about what _other's_ thought about him, she had to admit, she didn't know much about him either…other than the fact that he had quite the mouth when needed.

She came to a stop just a few feet away from the fifteen-year-old boy and presented him with a wide smile. "Hey, what's going on?"

His eyes moved from her and shifted to the right, then to the left. "Nothing special, do you need something?" He asked, his eyes returning to her.

Ah, so he was suspicious all ready, huh? Ha! Perhaps he and his old man weren't that different after all! "How about asking how I am?" She asked as the smirk on her face grew. "That's how you socialize."

"It's not like I'm used to it," Hiccup replied with a small sigh. "How are you?" He asked with a less then enthused tone.

"Good," She nodded a single time. "How is Toothless?"

The look on his face brightened by the mere mention of the reptile. His brows lifted as well as his chin. "Not bad, I was just about to go see him."

Rye jerked out of her standing position and leaned to the right, her eyes moving toward the small pieces of leather and metal he had combined together. "Trying out some new equipment?"

"Yeah."

"Nice," The Viking nurse shifted the weight back into its previous position and locked eyes with the boy once again.

"So, is there something you wanted?"

Ah, this baby chick was persistent! She thought by this time she'd grow used to the fact that Vikings were more than a little paranoid! She shook her head back and forth for a moment, composing herself and looked back to Hiccup with a single brow arched. She moved her hands to her hips and locked her left knee.

"I'm sure your dad mentioned that project he wanted you and Gobber to work on?" She said in a simple tone.

"Yeah, he did."

She felt her brow twitch for a moment. "He did tell you Gobber wanted me to help, right?"

Hiccup released a small sigh, "He mentioned something like that."

So he _knew_ and the little brat didn't say anything?! Ugh! Resisting the urge to vent her frustrations, she pulled in her bottom lip and began to suck on it. She then released from her stance and allowed her arms to hit her sides. Whatever, if he was going to be _that_ way, so be it.

"Now that's out, how do you want to do this?" She asked, her brow twitched along the way. "I mean, do you want to start with Toothless and Stormfly?"

"That sounds fine." He nodded once to agree.

_Well_, by the sound of excitement in his voice, it would appear that this should go more than smoothly! None of that awkward silence he was so known for! Geez, this kid needed some social education. Then again, could she judge him? After all, she had her moments too. She was more of a mole then she would like to admit. She _should_ be giving him credit for coming _this_ far. If it were her, she would have buried herself in a hole a long time ago!

"Good," She spoke, allowing her facial features to soften.

This wasn't more pressure that his father was putting on him, was it? It wasn't enough that Stoick the Vast had disowned him then reclaimed him six months ago, now the older man wanted his son to write down _everything_ he knew about dragons? Was that the reason for his indifferent responses?

Or was it about something else?

"You don't mind working with me, do you?" Rye asked with a small giggle. It was just for quick measure, to make sure that it wasn't actually _her_ that was putting him off so much. Surely, it wasn't that! …Right?

"Do I have a choice?"

She froze. Did her ears hear right? No, there was no way she just heard what she _thought_ she heard. She refocused her attention on the shorter male and allowed her jaw to drop a few inches. She looked to see that Hiccup had a small smirk on his face, was he joking?

Her brows furrowed within an instant and her jaw clenched back shut. She proceeded to give the boy her best pout before crossing her arms over her bust. "Thanks."

Instead of giving her a verbal response, the small smile on his face spread, transforming into a smirk. Eh, was it worth staying mad at him when he managed to smile at her like that? Geez, she couldn't even think of a time six months ago when the boy actually _smiled_. Something had to have changed! Like it needed restating. This little chick had come a long way, further than she ever thought he'd come. Ugh, she'd let him get away with his smart remark, just this _once_.

"I'm free to help you sometime after tomorrow," She allowed her face to relax, managing change her pout to a small smirk. "Hea should be all settled in after that."

His body movements came to a halt, his muscles stiffening while his eyebrows touched the top of his forehead. "Hea?" He asked, his voice lifting in pitch. "Hea's coming back?"

"Yep," She released her arms from her chest. "It seems her quest to discover new cooking methods has finally come to an end. She should be back sometime around lunch tomorrow."

"Ah," Hiccup nodded a single time, his muscles finally regaining some motion.

"All right then!" Rye lifted her chin and grinned. "We'll make some kind of arrangement later. Sounds like a plan!"

The young trainer bent down, clenching his jaw along the way and plucked his gear off the floor. "Right, I'll see you then."

Tomorrow was sounding better than ever. First her best friend was coming home after such a long time away and soon it would feel like she never left in the first place. The long nights having to fall asleep in silence would disappear and every day would feel like a party. Not to mention she had an actual job to do after that? She would be making herself useful again!

The next few days were going to be memorable.

Act End.


	2. Act Two

Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Two

The sound of panting broke her from her deep sleep. The sensation of hot breath on her cheeks caused her eyebrows to flicker with life. Before she could pry open her eyes she could tell who was hovering above her. Ah, Bug always knew how to wake her without startling her. It was like a gentle touch that her mother would give her, something that never failed to bring a smile to her features.

Hea finally opened her heavy eyelids to see just what she had predicted. Her miniature husky standing above her with a wide smile, tongue hanging out in her classic manner. The moment her brown eyes landed on the dog's black, almond-shaped eyes, the pup backed away and sat down.

"Good morning, Bug." She said with a lengthy yawn.

The small cream-colored canine whimpered, she had to be excited. How long had they been trapped on this damn ship? Ugh, a week at least. Hea wasted no time and sat up in her small bed, extending her right arm outward the small dog she patted her faithful companion on the head. Bug shut her eyes the instant her owner's hand met her forehead and her short curled tail began to wave back and forth.

After saying her hellos to her Pomeranian, she removed the sheets from her tired body. She then swung her legs out of bed, allowing her feet to hit the cold wooden surface of the ship's floor. Had it really been eighteen months she last been on Berk? Ah, in some ways it felt like an eternity! It had to have been a lifetime since she last hugged her dear elder sister.

Ah Rye. The sound of her voice, the warmth of her touch, she had missed it way too much. What would she say? What would she do the moment they reunited? At this point, Hea was ready to kiss her sister on the cheek! Then the questions would start.

How had things been since she left? How was the village? Had anyone been hurt, or worst case scenario died, while she was away? So much time had passed, there had to be a boatload of gossip that had come to pass while she was away on her journey!

Then again, this was Berk they were talking about! What the heck could have changed? Things hadn't changed on that little primitive island in centuries! Haha, what was going change? It wasn't like their whole way of life would change in eighteen short months or anything!

But most important of all, how had Rye been whilst she was away? How was that burn on her back treating her? Was she in pain? It was a thought that plagued her thoughts and dreams since she had left. The image of Rye's naked back was something she would never forget. The large burn that stretched from her shoulders down to her middle torso, it was a battle scar the young woman had never asked for. It was a gift given to her by the worst kind of creature.

A dragon.

The vile beasts that roamed the nearby forests and hunted their livestock. She would never forgive the reptile that caused her older sister so much pain. While the Vikings hunted and killed many of their kind, Rye, someone who was the most innocent was made a target for its fiery blaze. It had happened one night during the late summer months, when the livestock was out to pasture gorging themselves for the upcoming fall and winter months. A raid came out what seemed to be nowhere and attacked what little source of meat Berk had.

She was tending to the fallen Vikings when it happened. Inside a small hut, healing burn wounds to the men unfortunate enough to find themselves caught between a rock and hard place. She, along with the men who were already injured, happened to be in the path of a rouge dragon who had spewed fire along the entire west side of the village.

The fire, the smell of burning flesh, it was still fresh for her, too fresh.

Ugh! She needed to get out of this terrible state of mind! Thinking about those terrible things didn't do anything good for her, it just held her back. All she could do now was hold her grudge and help in any way possible when it came to dragon slaying. Sure, she wasn't a Viking, but she could help rid the world of those despicable creatures in any way possible.

A wet sensation to her left hand caused Hea to flinch. She jerked her chin to said direction and allowed her eyes to fall down to the small husky at her side. The pup moved her cold nose against the back of her hand and nuzzled. She complimented the animal and moved her hand up and dropped it on the dog's forehead. The soft cushioning of her fluffy double coat caused her hand to bounce.

"Good girl."

Bug pushed the air held in her tiny lugs out through her nose, a grunt that rocked her tiny body. She then shut her large eyes and lowered her perfect triangle-shaped ears. Ah, so she was still feeling seasick, was she? Ha, poor thing.

"Miss Hea! We've arrived!"

The young cook lifted her chin and turned to the direction of the stairs, which lead to the deck. Her tiny bunk had rested among about twenty others, all in one small damp area. Ugh, it was a luxury ship but it was worth it if she was going to see Rye again. Besides, she had it worse the first time she came to Berk, when she and her sister were stowaways. But even now, more than four years later, the smell of rotting wood and mold hadn't changed.

"Miss Hea!"

"Yes!" She called back to the captain, "How long have we been docked?"

"About fifteen minutes!" His voice echoed through the small room and caused Bug's small ears to stand erect.

Ugh, well it was nice of him to wake her up fifteen minutes ago! Geez, didn't he know how long she'd been waiting for this day?! Ugh, leave it to a _man_ to take things so lightly! Either way, it couldn't be helped now, might as well give the captain and his crew her thanks anyway. After all, they didn't _have_ to help her get back to Berk.

Hea pushed the weight of her body to her legs and moved her torso up and out of the small bunk. The creaking sound of the wood beneath her grew stronger as she took a moment to move her arms up over her head and stretch. All her achy muscles cramped for a short second before they relaxed and loosened. After taking the moment for herself, she spun around and moved both hands out toward the small dog on her bed.

Her fingers clenched the moment she came into contact with Bug and with a single swoop; she lifted the husky off the bunk. She lifted her smaller dog until they met eye-to-eye. Brown stared into black while black repeated the process. The whiskers that lined the sides of her muzzle came alive and twitched forward all the while her nose wiggled back and forth, no doubt taking in the new smells.

But there was no time to waste! Hea lowered her torso and bent her knees until she was able to place the dog on the floor. She then pulled her body upright once again and pumped her fists in the air. This was the moment! She would return to Berk, to her best friend a new woman! She was a stronger, smarter woman now right? She had been away for so long she just _had_ to have gotten wiser. No doubt her beloved older sister would be impressed!

It didn't hurt that the promise of clean, fresh clothing waiting for her at home caused a smile to spread in her heart. Ugh, she had been wearing the same clothes for a week now! It was time for a desperate change! Rye would be happy to wash her clothes for her, right? She had to! After all, her younger sister had just come home from a long, exhausting journey! _And_ a hot bath, dare she think Rye would have started one for her?

A single loud yap caused Hea to flinch. She allowed her eyes to bounce to the floor only to see the impatient miniature husky with a look of distaste on her fuzzy face. With a single breath, she exhaled strong _and_ loud enough to cause her jowls to flap.

"Okay, okay." She said, moving her hands out in her own defense. "I'm going."

Without another second passing, Hea moved across the wooden floor and made her way toward the short staircase. She stepped up the stair with ease, her calves fueled only with the anticipation of seeing Rye. The sound of Bug's long nails scraping against the each stair allowed her to pick up the pace. It was about time the two girls had a fresh breath of air!

As she reached the final top step, the unusual heat from the sun hit her face. So it was sunny out? It was a welcome change to the small island; she had to appreciate it while she had the chance. The strong breeze from the salty air hit her nostrils and erupted her senses. Ah, the familiar scent of the beach, it was enough to slow her heartbeat. Her eyes focused and adjusted to the strong light from the sun within a matter of seconds. And it was then she laid her eyes on Berk for the first time in eighteen months.

Ah, it was just what she wanted to see, the same old Berk. Nothing moved, nothing changed; it was just the way she left it. Hm! This was gonna be good! She would walk into the village within minutes, stunning all the Vikings around her with her presence! They would ask where she'd been, what she'd learned, almost like she someone important!

The only thing missing was-

A slam to her back forced the young cook forward. She tumbled, struggling to hold her standing position and flaying her arms back and forth in the process. What the HECK was that?! It wasn't someone pushing her; it was some kind of wind pressure! Her head whirled over her shoulder and she looked left and right to see what the source of the wind could be only to have a second round of wind push her further forward. By this time Bug had toppled head over back legs until she rolled toward the head of the boat.

"Hey! Welcome home Hea!"

A voice? From a Viking? But where was it coming from? She turned a full three-sixty in an attempt to find where the voice had come from, only to find nothing. Finally she took a second to glance upward, into the sky. Just as her eyes lifted a third wind pushed her body and hair backward. Her arms shot up in over her face and she squinted her field of vision. The image was blurry but there was no doubting what she was seeing. Flying above her, was a large red dragon. Its wings flapped a moment later causing a fourth gust to brush by her cheeks.

A dragon?! A frikkin' dragon?! What the hell, was there a raid going on?! Right when she docked! No way, no frikkin' way! What kind of bad luck was this, did Odin have it out for her or what!

Her jaw dropped lower than she thought humanely possible before she lost her balance. The weight of her body fell to her backside and she toppled backward, her bottom hitting the deck of the ship. She released a rather loud 'oomph' as her body came to a halt on the floor. But that wasn't important! There was a dragon, a DRAGON, flying above her head! She was a goner for sure! She shut her eyes tight and waited for impact.

"Hea! What's the matter!?"

That voice again. She knew that voice that was Snotlout's voice! But…he sounded so calm and now that she was listening, where were the sirens? The sounds of catapult blasts and the smell of burning wood? Everything was as tranquil as ever! No, this was wrong, something was _very_ wrong.

She managed to crack open her right eye only to see the image of the red dragon still hovering above her. More gusts of wind from its wings caused her hair to fly in all sorts of different directions, this only confirming that this was very real. Her left eye soon followed after her right and soon she focused her vision on the large reptile over her. But wait; there was something different about this monster. It appeared…calm, just like Snotlout's voice moments earlier.

And what was that resting on the dragon's back? No, there was no way her eyes were seeing what they were seeing. Was Snotlout _riding_ on the back of the flaming beast?! And what's more, did he actually look like he was enjoying it?! As if it were a _pet_ or something!

This was a nightmare, a terrible nightmare. Either that or it was some kind of cruel joke. No, no Viking in their right mind would joke about something like this. This was all a figment of her wild imagination, she was still dreaming, she was sure of it. It was time for her to wake up, she had to wake up!

But instead of the world around her becoming white and hazy as if she were waking from a deep sleep, her world became heavy and dark. The images around her blurred beyond recognition, colors mixed and combined until they all meshed into one solid color, black. The sounds around her dulled until only a buzz echoed in her eardrum. As if someone had blown out a candle, everything had gone completely dark.

XoXoX

The night had passed by way slower than it should have. Ugh, she didn't get to sleep until sometime passed twelve in the morning! Now she was late? Great. Ah well, it wasn't like Hea was going anywhere, right? Ha! In fact, she was staying this time around, so she shouldn't mind if she was a little late, right?

Rye stepped through the village with little effort. It wasn't like she needed to think about where she was going, she knew Berk like the back of her hand now! Anyway, she had better things to think about then just walking, her best friend was waiting for her! What would they say first? Would they hug? No doubt the trip her younger sister went on made her wiser. It had to, after all that was the whole point in traveling!

And if she were lucky, Hea would make her dinner with one of her new fancy recipes she collected along her travels. A nice, warm chicken dish would make her-

Just as her thoughts of a tasty meal entered her mind, a slam to her left side caused Rye to fly forward a few good steps. Her arms shot out and waved back and forth until she caught her balance and stood up straight once again. She moved her hands to her face and readjusted her glasses then looked to her left. Before she could say anything to the Viking that had rushed by her, a second and third followed after the first.

They sped by her without directing any words toward her, seemingly intent on their destination. What the hell? What was the rush, it wasn't like there was any danger to worry about! They were Vikings, but they didn't need to be _rude_. Her bottom lip poked out and her brows flipped upside down in an unpleasant manner.

A second shove, this time to her right side, forced Rye into the opposite direction. She caught her footing before falling, and possibly hurting her ankle, and regained her composure. This time a gaggle of Vikings charged out from behind her, running ahead of her toward the dock. What the? What the hell was going on?! Hiccup was at the glade for the moment, so it wasn't like he was at the dock performing miracles or anything.

Before she could part her lips to ask the fleeing men what was going on, a tap to her left shoulder caused her to stiffen. She jerked her head to the side to see a hand resting on her lone shoulder. She followed the hand to the arm then to the torso it connected to. Gobber stood at her side with a smile on his face.

"Hey," She said, his smile becoming contagious.

"Good afternoon, Rye." He released her shoulder; bringing his arm down to his side.

Just as she opened her mouth to reply, a third group of Vikings trampled by her, all making their way toward the dock. Okay, she could put more than two and two together. Something was going on. But what?

A slam to her back caused her to stand up straight and stiff. Ugh! Did he _have_ to hit her on the back all the time? It wasn't like she didn't have a _burn_ there or anything. Rye resisted the urge to yip and clenched her fists at her sides. She then turned back to Gobber and shot him her best glare. "What's going on?" She asked, her bottom lip poking out just slightly.

"Did you hear?" He asked, lifting his right brow in interest. "There's quite a scene down at the dock."

"Oh yeah?" Rye responded as the couple continued to make their way to the said destination.

"Oh yeah." He repeated and nodded. "It seems that Hea has come back, but you knew that didn't you?"

Of course she knew! It wasn't like she was walking all the way down to the dock for her health. Holding back any sharp replies that might fly from her lips, she resisted and cleared her throat. "I'm going to get her now, but that doesn't explain why everyone's rushing there."

"Ah, so you didn't hear the _details_."

Details? What _kind_ of details? It wasn't like Hea had come back with two heads or something! It was just Hea and the young Pomeranian, right? So what hell? "What details are there?"

Gobber nodded once again, returning his vision forward. "It seems that she passed out," He said flawlessly as if it were a common event.

"PASSED OUT?!" Rye shouted before her mind could process anything just told to her.

"Face first on the deck, as I hear. Out cold, as if she'd seen a ghost." He explained with a wave of his hand and hook.

Oh god. She passed out? What the hell was wrong with her? Had she been eating right and getting enough rest? Sure, Hea was known for her gift to pass out of things became too hectic but Rye had to ask herself if her younger sis was getting all the nutrition and sleep she needed.

Add to the fact that everyone in the village had rushed out to witness her cold, pale body. It was enough to make the older sister cringe with disgust. Ugh, didn't Vikings get enough blood and guts with the dragon slaughtering? It wasn't like _one_ passed out girl was going to look 'cool'.

"Wonderful," Rye said with a sigh. "Do you know why?"

"Not really, I just heard from Snotlout that she blacked out the minute she stepped foot on deck." Gobber said with a small, weak shrug. "But you should be able to figure out what's wrong with her, you being a _doctor_ and all."

Oh and that wonderful Viking sarcasm made its way back to her. What a way to start off her day! Eh, it was better than hearing it from Hiccup, at least through Gobber she could laugh or snap back. But when a _fifteen year old_ told her off, it was a dent to her sarcastic pride! Eh well, she had better things to worry about now anyway. It was time to pick her sister's soulless body off the ship poop deck.

"Yeah sure," Rye said with a snort. "Uh, I wonder what's wrong with her."

Gobber stopped mid step and moved his left arm outward, his index finger pointed forward. "You better find out."

She followed the direction of the older male's finger to see that they had arrived at the dock. That was fast! Ugh, thinking of her sister passed out must have taken up more time then she thought. But there wasn't any time to waste! She broke away from Gobber within the same moment and broke out into a short sprint. The nurse shoved nearby Vikings to one side as she came closer to the ship. With a short skip and a hop, she found herself standing on the same wooden deck as her fallen sister.

She appeared the same in every way; then again maybe she had grown a few inches? It was hard to tell with her limp body sprawled out across the bow. Her short hair appeared as shaggy as ever; no doubt she was overdue for a cut. Hea always knew how to sport the perfect 'pixie cut'. Her dark brown hair had passed down her eyebrow line and almost covered the large brown eyes that were shut at the moment. Ah, even if she _was_ passed out it was nice to see her again.

A bark caused Rye to stand up straight. She whirled around to see a cream colored puff of fur standing behind her. Aw, Bug! Was the small canine happy to see her again? Bug stood with ear straight up and legs spread almost as if she were ready to attack anyone who came close to Hea. Her curly tail sat on her back and the moment the two females locked eyes, it began to wag ever so slightly.

"Is she dead?"

The Viking doctor flinched to the sound of a familiar, male voice. She jerked her head over her shoulder to face forward once again only to see Tuff and Ruff standing at the dock, not more than five feet away. She was quick to roll her eyes at Tuff's comment and resisted the urge to snap back before bending down to a single knee. The older sister moved her right hand out and placed it on top of Hea's forehead.

Sweat had collected on the cook's brow and she felt clammy, no doubt her heart rate had at one point raced to the point where she lost consciousness. It was a notable trait of hers, but nothing that shouldn't be over looked. After all, Hea was the only family she had! Fainting was just one of those things the younger sister did well, kind of like the way _she_ sprained her ankles nearly every time she fell.

"No," Rye responded to Tuff's question without looking in his direction. "She just fainted."

She then released her hand from Hea's forehead and moved both arms to the floor. With a single jerk, she moved her arms up underneath her sister's underarms and hoisted the cook in training off the floor. Rye moved her younger sibling's arm around her shoulder and used her back to lift of them into a standing, or slouching, position.

"Come on Bug," Rye grumbled as she adjusted to the new weight. "Let's get Hea into bed."

Act End.


	3. Act Three

Prepare for a short, depressing chapter. I'll try to make the next one longer and bit more lighthearted. Sorry guys.

* * *

Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Three

Rye sighed as she placed her hands around the wooden handles of Hea's food tray. The smell of oatmeal and warm apple cider tickled her senses but her stomach refused to grow. Ugh, how could she be hungry at a time like this? After finding her sister face down on the boat's deck _then_ to have to tell her all about what had happened in the last year, it was mentally exhausting! After all, the elder sister knew good and well about her younger sibling's hate for dragons.

Just the _look_ on her face told a lifetime story of post-traumatic stress. The moment the cook heard the word 'dragon' she shut down, Rye could _feel_ it. It didn't matter how sweet or cute Toothless was or what good Hiccup had done fighting that monster of a dragon; Hea's mind was already made up. She hated dragons; she would _never_ trust them and certainly never tolerate them. What the hell was she going to do with that stubborn younger sister of hers?

But the news was still fresh, maybe in a day or so things would change? After all, who could say a bad thing about Toothless when he gazed at you with a set of wide green eyes? If there was hope that dragons could be domesticated and trained then there _had_ to be hope that Hea would change her beliefs…right?

Rye stepped out of the small kitchen area with the tray in hand. She then made her way toward her sister's room in silence. Seeing the daylight shining through the window in Hea's room in the hallway, she thought about what her sister had said the moment her story was done. The anger, the venom and the disgust in her tone wouldn't fade from the nurse's mind.

"_They're dragons. _Dragons._ There's no way they could be anything but monsters. Look at what they did to you."_

She had been burned, but that was a long time ago and it had long healed. If what Hiccup preached was true, the poor animal was trying to defend itself. Trying to bring home enough food to satisfy the 'queen bee'. It wasn't the reptile's fault; she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't die from her wounds and she wasn't mentally scarred, so why was her sibling worried?

The image of Hea sitting up in bed shook Rye out of her thoughts. She cleared her throat upon entering the room, catching the short haired girl's attention within seconds. Seated upward in bed, she turned to her older sister with the same frown Rye had seen when she left the room. Was she still thinking about it? Could she be mad?

_Time to find out._

"Food's ready." The nurse flashed her best smile and leaned in toward her bedbound sister. "Oatmeal with cider. Oh and there's some honey there on the side." She explained before placing the wooden tray in Hea's lap.

"Thanks."

Rye's smile dropped._ That_ didn't sound good. Even if they had been separated for a year and half, she could still read her sibling like a book. Hea wasn't happy, that much was obvious. But what could she do? She couldn't change the things that had already happened. It was time for the young cook to cope like everyone else in the village; after all she isn't/wasn't the only one who didn't like dragons.

Maybe a chat with Stoick would make her feel better? Then again Hea and Stoick the Vast had never really gotten along; in fact he seemed to go out of his way to _not_ speak with her. But were the two really that different?

"I hope I made it right," She said, referring to the oatmeal. "Let me tell you, it took me weeks before I could make food worth eating when you first left." Rye released a small chuckle, taking a seat on a small chair that stood beside the bed.

Hea's dark colored eyes darted away from her.

Okay, _that _tactic didn't seem to work. "Bug looks good," She removed her eyes from the cook and glanced to the floor, where the young pup laid, curled in a tight ball. "I think she was four months old last time I saw her. Her coat has changed a lot."

Best going away present ever, if she didn't say so herself! Bug had to be the best surprise Hea had ever gotten, her face alone the moment she saw the dog was priceless. Rye had picked Bug out the litter herself and spent all of her savings on her but it was well worth it.

"_Because I can't be there to protect you, I found someone who would."_

Ah, seeing Bug now was so strange! Who would have known such a little dog would turn out to be such a glorious and stunning dog. Just by looking at the cream colored canine, she and anyone else could most certainly tell she was strong. And seeing that Hea came home in once piece, Bug had done her job just fine.

"When I saw those huge paws, I knew she was going to be a little wolf!" Rye released a few giggles. "She also looked like you." She then tore her attention away from the Pomeranian and looked back at Hea. "All wide-eyed and confused half the time."

The room became silent. Ugh, still no response? What did she have to do to get the girl to talk? After all this time of being apart, Hea was going to come home and _not_ speak with her? No, she wouldn't let this happen! Too much time had passed between the two of them; they had a lot of catching up to do. Dragon or no dragon, their relationship was more important.

"So," Rye inhaled through her nose and sat up straight. "You should see Astrid and the others, they've gotten so big! And besides Ruff, Tuff and Snotlout, they haven't seen you yet; they'll see how cute you've gotten." Still no verbal response from her sister led the nurse to ramble on, "Oh and you have to see-"

"I can't do this!"

The sound of the clay bowl and cup hitting the wooden tray caused Rye to flinch. She looked on to see the tray away from Hea's lap and on the mattress several inches away from the cook's body. The younger girl had both hands latched to either side of the serving platter and her head dipped down to where her short choppy bangs hid her eyes.

"I can't live with dragons on Berk!" She shouted, pulling her body away from the tray. "It's _wrong_."

"Hea…" Rye felt her heartstrings pull at the tone of her best friend's voice.

"They ruined your life." Hea said in a pitch smoother than moments before. "They hurt you and I can't live with the things that _hurt_ you."

"My life isn't ruined," The older sister replied with the most sweetness she could muster. "It's just a scar now, Hea. I'm fine."

"I saw your burn," The chef whispered. "I smelled it and I can't forget it." She then lifted her chin and stared at the opposing wall. "And now those _things_ are living here, like pets? No, I won't stand for it."

Okay, now her sister was being unreasonable. What was she going to do, change everything just because of one incident? The way of life on Berk had changed forever and there was nothing _anyone_ could do about it. The kids from Dragon Slaying School couldn't stop it, Gobber couldn't stop it, and not even Stoick the Vast could stop it. Life was different now and everyone else had accepted it, why couldn't she? Was it because it was all so new to her?

"You can't change things now." Rye made sure to add a certain sternness to tone. "What can you do anyway? You can't just make the dragons go away."

"I don't care what I have to do!" Hea jerked her head to the left and shot a mighty glare at the Viking nurse.

With a small sigh, Rye looked toward the sleeping Pomeranian. "That would be like someone trying to take Bug away from you, just because she nipped someone's finger."

"No its not!" The younger girl shook her head left and right. "Someone doesn't get second degree burns from a bite!"

"Hea." The eldest siblings proceeded to shoot her own set of daggers outward. "You're overreacting. I understand it's a bit much to take in at once, but you have to learn to accept it. Everyone else has."

The room fell silent. Hea turned away from her and once again dipped her chin into her chest. The shadows from bangs hid her eyes but her still visible bottom lip trembled as if she were crying. Was this _that_ important to her? Did she really dislike dragons _that_ much, just because of that one incident?

She had let go any grudge she had about the dragon that had burned her long ago. The day she saw Toothless save Hiccup from danger, all of her hate vanished. How could a creature that cared so much for a boy no one else noticed be evil? Toothless loved Hiccup and vice versa, so how could that be wrong?

Odin had bigger plans for the crippled boy and his Night Fury.

"I'll leave then."

Rye felt a cold chill run through her veins. What did her best friend just say? She was going to leave _again_? How could she? After eighteen months of absence, she was going to leave her for a _second_ time?

"We'll leave." As if she were to correct herself, she reinstated her last reply. "We'll go back to the city."

Leave? The both of them? There wasn't any hesitation in her mind what her answer to that was. No. There was no way she would ever leave Berk. Not after all these years of trying to impress the Viking elders and building their house by hand? She couldn't throw it away, not because her younger sister couldn't tolerate a dragon or two. If Stoick could accept it then Hea could. It was just going to need time. If she saw Toothless, she would _have_ to think he was cute, everyone did!

But more than anything, she couldn't give up the friendships she had on the tiny island. Even if she as close to Astrid and others like Hiccup had become, they still meant something to her. And of course that went without mentioning Gobber. The one and only person to ever understand her, besides Hea, she wasn't going up and leave him now.

Not when he specifically asked for _her_ help with that new manual they were writing.

"I can't go with you, Hea." The senior sister exhaled a small sigh through nose between the words as the features on her face relaxed.

Instead of saying anything in response, Hea remained still. Rye's eyes were drawn from her sister's face down to her arms then to her hands. There she watched as the girl clenched the thin sheets. Was she upset, angry or both? Without being able to see Hea's face, it was too hard to tell.

"I can't tell you that you have to stay here for me." Rye spoke in a tone just above a whisper. "But I want you to."

"I can't be alone anymore." Hea managed to speak beyond the shaking and trembling of her words.

"Then stay."

She watched as her dearest and oldest friend shed a single tear. Beyond the shadows of her hair a small drop to water trickled down her round cheek. Why did she have to cry? Rye _hated_ seeing someone she loved so much hurting, especially when it was about something that was so easily solved. If Hea only knew and became close to a dragon the way she had when she met Bug, things would be wonderful.

Then life on Berk would be absolutely perfect.

"You should eat," Rye continued to speak in the same soft tone her mother would use to comfort them when they were children. "You fainted today."

The girl with the shaggy hair allowed her head to nod slowly. Ah, that was a relief; at least she agreed to do _something_ in her own favor. No doubt after this meal she would get doozy and fall into a deep sleep. Then maybe after they could talk about their living arrangements.

Sleep would do her a world of good.

Act End.


	4. Act Four

Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Four

She had put up her best fight and still lost. Ugh, she'd only been home a day or so, why force her out into the 'new and improved' Berk so soon? Thank Odin there were no dragons in sight…so far.

Hea released a loud sigh through her nose as her sister dragged her in the direction of Mead Hall. Rye had apparently informed the whole village of her return from her eighteen month journey and now they were holding a banquet in her honor. Was that a problem? Not really, it was just the threat of the villagers bringing their pet dragons to the party that was the problem. Then again, if Rye had told them about her safe return maybe she also told them her distaste for dragons?

With all the hope she had left, the nurse had read her mind. But until she could be sure everything was safe, she was going to keep her eyes peeled! And what if she actually ran into a dragon? Hell, she wasn't sure but she knew that the moment she saw one of the vile beasts, the party was _over_.

And with Bug trailing at their feet, the last thing she needed was for some rouge dragon to swallow the Pomeranian up in a single bite.

"Come on," Rye glanced over her shoulder, shooting her a smile. "We're late as it is!" The older sibling then tugged on her hand, pulling her forward at a faster pace.

Hea pouted. Ugh, it wasn't like it mattered, they were dealing with _Vikings _for Odin's sake, she was pretty sure they would continue the celebration whether she was there or not! Seeing as she and Rye weren't technically Vikings, why would they hesitate to party without them around?

Although, she was surprised that they would actually welcome her back with open arms at all! It had taken a number of long years of bonding with the people of Berk to even get a smile out of them as she and Rye passed by. Times had definitely changed; it didn't feel _that_ long ago since that long first trip to Berk. Times were hard back then and now they were holding a fancy feast in _her_ name? It was almost too hard to believe.

Then again the Vikings had also taken a sudden liking for dragons, so maybe it wasn't too farfetched after all.

"Everyone's waiting to see you!" Rye spoke aloud once more, a large smile plastered over her face.

They were? Since when did she mean that much to anyone besides her sister? Ah well, she must have gotten on their good side somehow. But she had been at sea for a number of long months so maybe her absence made their Viking hearts grow fonder? Eh, _that_ was unlikely. Maybe it wasn't her influence at all, maybe…

"_I have to tell you about this project I'm working on with Gobber and Hiccup!"_

She hadn't had an influence on the people of Berk at all. No, they didn't like or appreciate her, they liked Rye. It was no wonder either, after serving as a nurse to their injured for an extended period; it was only natural that they would find her presence enjoyable. Rye was sweet, understanding and supportive; what else could a Viking want or need?

This was Rye's party, not hers.

"We're here!"

Hea flinched; they were at Mead Hall…all ready? The girl with the short hair lifted her chin and focused in on the large building in front of her. In the dark evening light she could make out the familiar features of the hall, it didn't look much different from when she last saw it. At least _something _looked the same.

Maybe the people inside weren't any different?

The sensation of Rye's hand leaving her own caused the cook to turn left to see her older sister approaching the hall's door alone. The large smirk still glued to her cheeks, she pressed her open palms against the wooden doors and began to give them a strong push.

"Rye, wait!" Hea called out to her bestie, her arm extended as if to stop the nurse.

Either the girl with long hair didn't hear her or didn't want to listen to what she had to say because she continued to push open the doors with _too_ much eagerness. What the heck? What was with the sudden push to get her to be social? It was just a stupid party; no one even asked her if she _wanted_ to go! They just assumed she'd be ready to face the changes without hesitation. How inconsiderate, rude and insensitive! What if she wasn't ready, what if she didn't _want_ to like dragons?

What if she was really just terrified of dragons…?

Fear and hate were two horns on the same animal for her. Whatever she hated she feared and whatever she feared, she hated. She felt hatred because she feared the unknown and not knowing was what she hated. In a sense, that's what dragons were to her. They were unpredictable creatures that held too much power of humans. How could anyone _trust_ something that held so much control over the population?

Inside she was just a scared little girl. Maybe _that_ was the real reason she left, maybe after seeing what a dragon could do to a person, like Rye, all she wanted to do was run from it. And that's what she wanted to do now, run.

"Welcome back Hea!"

The bright lights from the torches blinded her upon impact. Using her already extended arm to block out the light from her eyes she waited for her eyes to adjust. Within seconds, the lights died down in brightness enough to allow Hea to remove her arm from her face. After dropping her hand to her side, she saw as a lot of familiar faces greeted her with smiles. The smell of poultry and freshly baked bread hit her nostrils with such a sudden burst that her mouth watered beyond her control.

"Go on," Rye said with a small pat to the back.

With the gentle encouragement of her sister, Hea moved forward. Her cocoa-colored eyes scanned the large hall, her mind connecting old faces to well-known names. Everyone seemed to be in check, all of the older Vikings were present anyway. Good, that meant that no one had been hurt or died during that great raid against the 'queen bee' dragon months ago.

There also wasn't a single dragon in sight. Ah, at least there was _that_.

"Hea!"

Said female jerked at the sound of her name. She took a quick look to the right to see a group of teens she hadn't seen in what felt like _ages_. If there was any group of Vikings she missed during her time away, it had to be Astrid and the rest. Seeing them now was a bit strange, they had gotten so big!

She could refuse the smile tugging at her lips. "Hey guys."

Astrid led the group in her usual strong way, all the while sporting a heartwarming smile. Oh how she'd grown! She was even more beautiful now than she was the day she left, if that were possible. Her stunning blue gaze had matured so much in the last year and half. When did she become such a young woman?!

Behind her stood the twins, both with same trouble-making smirks she saw the day she left Berk. While Tuff looked as if he'd gained some muscle mass, Ruff had changed from total tomboy to a lady. Sure, the two siblings shared many traits, with time it looked as if they had begun to drift apart in looks.

"Welcome home." Astrid spoke in a voice far too sweet for her personality. Perhaps the huge change in Berk had affected her demeanor?

After all, she _did_ use the word 'home'. Since when did the Vikings on Berk consider her or her sister a part of their community?

"Thanks." Hea released a string of nervous giggles.

After breaking eye contact with the blonde female, Hea glanced beyond Astrid's shoulder to see Snotlout and Fishlegs. The two boys had grown! Wow, Snotlout was the spitting image of his father and Fishlegs looked like a true Viking. Yep, no doubt they all excelled in Dragon Slaying School.

_Before dragons became pets around here, of course._

"How was your trip?" Fishlegs was first to approach her with any sort of question.

"Not bad." Hea felt her smile widening. "Long and tiring of course."

"You look older," Ruff reached forward, no doubt taking mental notes on her physical changes.

Was that supposed to be a compliment? Eh, what did it matter anyway, Vikings always had a talent for giving out backhanded comments and compliments. "Thanks?"

The sound of nails on the hard floor caused Hea to turn and look downward. In her peripheral vision she watched the others follow along until all of their eyes landed on the small ball of fluff on the floor. Bug stood with her chest poked outward with what appeared to be a great deal of pride. Was she proud of her adult coat she had grown during the last year? Last time this group saw her, she still had her baby fur!

"What is _that_?" Tuff's voice shattered any thoughts passing through her mind.

Hea was quick to pout. "That's Bug, you know her! Remember?"

"Eh," Snotlout bent down to the dog's level. "She looks different, are you sure it's the same dog?" He then proceeded to extend his index finger toward the pup as if to poke her nose.

"Eh, I wouldn't do-"

Before she could spit out her warning, Bug released a low rumbling growl. Unfazed by her verbal warning, Snotlout continued to inch closer to the canine. The blond Pom peeled back her lips as he carried on, revealing her pearly white teeth. With a single yap, Bug opened her jaw and snapped it shut.

"'Ey!" The shortest boy yelped and pulled his arm back into his chest. Did she actually bite him?

"Did it get you?" Tuff leaned into Snotlout with a set of wide, curious eyes.

"I don't see any blood." The dark haired boy responded by pulling his hand to eye level.

Ah, Vikings never changed! …Well _almost_ never anyway. "Bug's not an _it_, she's a _she_." Hea was quick to correct the male twin in a firm tone.

Tuff's eyes rolled. "Sure, whatever."

"Bug is more fierce than any dragon." Rye joked, appearing at her younger sister's side. "She has a 'super bark' that can knock down trees."

"_Rye_." Hea jerked her left elbow outward, hitting her best friend's side. How the heck could she compare _her_ Bug with some stupid dragon?! Everyone knew, or _should_ know, that her cream sable Pomeranian was superior to every other pet!

"Okay, okay." Taking her obvious hint, Rye stepped a few inches away from the group of teens. "I'm gonna go catch up with Gobber, see you in a while, Hea."

"Kay." The cook watched as her senior walked out of range. She then returned her attention to her peers.

"Have you had a chance to meet Toothless yet?" Astrid's voice hit her ears with a gentle vibration.

'_Toothless'_? Wasn't that the name given to the Night Fury Hiccup had found and supposedly trained? Ugh, just the thought of naming something as stupid as a dragon was ridiculous! Naming a creature gave it character and added some kind of affection on the name-giver's part; no dragon deserved _that_. Ah well, might as well roll with the punches.

"No." Hea cleared her throat and allowed her eyes to dart away from the group.

_And I don't plan to._

"It'll be your first time seeing a Night Fury, when you meet him." Fishlegs smirked at the name of the vile beast.

She proceeded to grind her teeth in her mouth in an effort to keep any bad or negative comments from slipping through her lips. Why start trouble if she didn't need to? Hell, she wasn't sure she _wanted_ to stay on Berk just yet anyway. And _if_ she _did_ decide to leave, she wouldn't have to meet any dragon, let alone Toothless. It was best if she just smile and nod for the time being.

Until she made her final decision, she was going to hide away in her house and only come out at night. Maybe that way she wouldn't have to deal with any stupid dragons.

"Y-yeah." Hea released a series of nervous chuckles. "Rye told me all about what happened when I was gone. _Soooo_," She bit her lower lip and brought her two hands together and clapped. "Let's talk about something _else_, okay?"

The young baker looked on as the group of teens paused with questionable looks on their faces. They then turned to one another for a short moment, as if they were looking for some kind of answer to her sudden strangeness.

_Come on, someone say _something_!_

A sudden snicker from Tuff made the blood in her veins freeze over. "Heh, so you _are_ scared of dragons. Rye said you would be."

"Hey!" Ruff turned to her brother but not before shoving her fist into his upper arm. "We weren't supposed to say anything!"

Afraid of dragons? _Rye_ said that or better yet, Rye _knew_? Since when?! Nobody was supposed to know and now the _whole_ village knew?! This was supposed to be a secret, a secret that she would keep to herself forever, how could she be so easy to read? Where did her air of mystery go or did she ever have it at all?! And Rye told them? Did she tell them because she was trying to protect her or did the Viking nurse verify something they already expected?

Hea felt a rush of heat hit her face. Oh no and now she was going to _blush_ on top of everything? Wonderful, even if she wanted to deny it she couldn't now, not when she was red all over! But what else could she do but deny the truth?

"What are you talking about?" She fought back the raging blush on her face and shot a glare in the group's direction. "I am _not_ afraid of dragons."

"You aren't?" Snotlout tilted his head to one side while giving her a smirk, almost like he knew something she didn't.

"No!" She barked. "I'm not!"

Astrid released a small sigh and stepped in front of Snotlout, blocking Hea's view of the shorter boy. "Look, Rye told us you were nervous around dragons so we went out of our way to make sure you didn't see any, okay?"

"It's no big deal," Fishlegs' voice cracked just a bit, like _he_ was nervous. "They can be scary…at first."

Hea protested by throwing her clenched fists down to her sides and shutting her eyes tight. "I'm not scared!"

After reopening her eyes, she watched as Ruff extended her arm out. "Are you _sure_?"

"Ugh!"

That was it! She was only going to be pushed so far, she wasn't going to be bullied into admitting her worst fear! Hea made a strong point to shoot a 'death glare' at the bunch of teenagers before turning her nose up at them and leaving the area. Oh, Rye had an earful coming her way! Her older sister was going to hear all of her complaints then she was going to find out _why_ she felt the need to blab to everyone.

In the young cook's mindset, this party was officially over.

Act End.


	5. Act Five

Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Five

"I'm gonna go catch up with Gobber, see you in a while, Hea." Rye said, throwing her hand in the air as she spun on her heel and moving away from Astrid and her crew.

Ah, this was better than she thought it would be! Having Hea home was more exciting than she could have ever imagined. After all, in their time apart from one another, they both had learned and experienced new things. They still had a lot to talk about and a lot to catch up on. Hm, it was just a matter of time before things were like the good old days!

But it was time to let her little sister mingle with her old crowd. Sure Hea was a few years older than Astrid and the rest but they still got along relatively well, at least they _did_ eighteen months ago and in that last year and half _a lot _of things had changed. Maybe they would get along better or worse, she wasn't sure just yet.

In the meantime, she had some catching up to do herself! Rye stepped through the large crowds of Vikings before making her way to her intended destination. With a pleasant smile on her face and bounce in her step, she found herself closing the distance between herself and Gobber.

"Hey," She said once within earshot. "What's going on?"

The older blond turned at the sound of her voice, with a smile on his face. Equipped with his mug attachment, he lifted the wooden cup into the air. "Ah Rye!"

Her eyes moved from her old friend to look beyond his shoulders. Beside the former teacher stood the chief of the village, Stoick. Hm, that was to be expected, they were good friends weren't they? Oh well, might as well get her 'social' on and actually talk to someone other than Gobber.

"Nice to see you were able to bring your sister here in one piece!" Gobber released a round of heavy chuckles after welcoming her into his group. "No one's seen her since that day on the boat."

"Yeah," She giggled to herself. "Hea's doing well."

_At least physically anyway…_

"She looks good!" He said with a wave of his mug, "Getting to be just as pretty as her sister," He then proceeded to nudge her shoulder with his elbow.

"Psh," She was quick to shoo the older man off with a playful roll of her eyes. Time for a change of subject! "So Stoick," Rye drew her attention away from Gobber and moved on to the village leader. "Where's that kid of yours? Is he here?"

The older redhead cleared his throat, "He should be here soon; he had some business to take care of with Toothless."

Toothless? Her head cocked to one side. Oh geez, did Hiccup get the message about _not_ bringing his Night Fury anywhere near the village until Hea was settled? Ugh! If anyone was supposed to get that message it was him!

He had to have heard _something_ about not bringing Toothless around, right? Yeah, he had to!

Shaking off any paranoia she adjusted herself. "He did, did he? He's been attached at the hip with that dragon for weeks!"

"Dragons are demanding creatures, you know!" Gobber said with a nod of his head. "They're worse than women, they require a lot of attention."

A single brow lifted to the top of her forehead. "Is that right? And what would _you_ know about that?"

He turned to her and presented her with a wicked smile, "You'd be surprised."

"Uh huh." She hummed.

"Rye," Stoick's deeper voice caused the younger female to turn his way. "I wanted to talk to you about your sister."

Oh boy, _that_ sounded fun. What now? She just got back, it wasn't like the young cook had a whole lot of time to break anything or cause any trouble. Because Odin knew how much mischief Hea got into when she was a kid. But her smaller sister had mellowed out and besides, the girl had been bed ridden for the past twenty four hours!

"Yes?" She replied with _just_ a hint of hesitation.

"I know Hea has been away learning some cooking skills but we aren't ready for a new cook at Mead Hall just yet." Stoick spoke in a firm tone, his eyes never straying from her. "I wanted you to tell her that we still need her to herd the livestock."

Ah, so that was it? She felt a breath of relief leave her lungs. Hea should be okay with that, right? She _was_ the sheep herder before she left, she could do it again! Then again, repeating these instructions from the village leader seemed easier thought than done. After all, the young baker had been gone for over a year, perfecting her art only to come home to resume an old job. But it was better than nothing, right?

"I'll pass on the message." Rye forced a small smile.

"Good." He gave her a single nod of his head. "Oh," He paused just long enough to change the topic. "And the dragons are going to be back by morning, I expect Hea can handle that?"

"Yeah I think so." Ugh, it wasn't much time for her sister to adjust but what other choice did the two siblings have? "I mean I can't guarantee that she'll be totally okay but I think we can manage."

Should she bring up the subject of Hea thinking about leaving? Gah, talk about bad timing! If they only had a little more time, maybe her sister would warm up to the idea but _one night_ wasn't going to make much difference. But again, what choice did she have? As an older sister, she was supposed to protect her younger kin!

"Oh I'll bet she'll take one look at Toothless and fall in love," Gobber spoke before bringing his mug to his lips and taking a long sip of his ale.

"Yeah."

_Oh, Odin please make this easy!_

"Rye!"

The Viking nurse flinched. By the sound of it, her younger sister did _not_ sound pleased. Perhaps she had gotten into an argument with Tuff or something? Rye turned away from the older men to see Hea fuming mad. With her shoulders hunched over and both of her fists clenched at her sides she stomped her way toward the trio with a look of frustration that no one had seen in a _long_ time.

"What's the matter?" Rye asked, arching her right brow.

"How could you?!" Hea yelped, her cheeks glowing a bright red color while her eyes appeared glazed over with tears. What the heck happened?

"How could I what? What happened?" Rye reached forward and placed her hands on the smaller girl's shoulders.

The pixie-haired female swatted away her hands, "How could you tell everyone about 'you-know-what'? It was a secret!"

'You-know-what', secret? What the heck was she spouting now? Rye allowed her arms and shoulders to relax as she fixated her attention on her sister's eyes. Why was she on the brink of crying? The very _last_ thing she wanted to do was make her best friend cry!

"I'm _not_ afraid of dragons!" Hea shut both eyes tight and shouted loud enough for Vikings close by to stop and turn their way. "How could you tell everyone I was scared of them?!"

Oh. So that was what this was about. She had told the village elders about her sister's fear but she didn't mean for it to be malicious or for it to get out so even the kids knew. She wanted to _protect_ her sister, not upset her. Hell, she'd only been on Berk for a few hours and now she was about to cry! Great, now what was she supposed to do? Hea was gonna leave for sure now and this time it would be _her fault_.

"Hea, I wanted to make sure you felt safe." Rye's facial features settled. "I'm sorry, I just wanted-"

"I'm not scared!" She protested. "I don't care what everyone thinks, I am _not_ scared. I hate dragons! They're disgusting, stupid, mean creatures and they're only useful when they're dead!"

By this point Mead Hall had fallen silent. Had everyone heard what her sister just said? Rye managed to pull her eyes away from the cook and scanned the room around them. All eyes were glued to the two sisters, looks of shock and confusion on most of their faces.

Was it really that shocking to hear that someone, who was coming home to Berk after an extended leave, was surprised or even traumatized by the fact that dragons were now living on the island as pets/companions? After all, six months ago any Viking would have said the same thing, right? Hea had grown up knowing and believing that dragons were evil, it had to be a terrible culture shock to come home to such a change.

_I'm so sorry Hea._

The sound of the large double doors of Mead Hall opening forced the silent men and women in the area to turn around. Who could be _this_ late to a party? The whole village was here, who the heck could be this late?! Rye narrowed her eyes and tried her best to focus her vision on the person standing in the doorway. As the lights from the torches highlighted the features on the person's face, it became clear who it was.

"Hiccup!" Stoick called out to his son.

But what was that by his side? Rye felt her eyes contract even further to see a large black mass at Hiccup's side. As if on cue, the two 'people' stepped into the light. At his side and standing loyal as ever, Toothless' image came into view. Oh god, he brought _Toothless? _A _dragon_?! Her right hand shot up from her side, her open palm hitting the side of her face. Great, just frikkin' perfect! So he didn't get the message, who the hell didn't tell Hiccup about the 'no dragon' code at this welcome home party?!

"Sorry we're late dad." Hiccup's voice echoed through the hall but no one replied.

The shorter, scrawny boy walked deeper into the room with his pet by his side. Meanwhile the Vikings that _knew_ of the code stood in silence. Rye turned to look at her sister to see that Hea's body had stiffened. Her hands lifted to her chest and she clenched at her shirt. Was she scared? The nurse stepped to one side, getting a better view of the cook's expression. The color had drained from her face while her eyes where dilated to the fullest extent.

"Hiccup," The boy's father took a single step forward. "Take Toothless out-"

Before the chief could finish a small platinum blonde puff of fur shot out from in between Hea's quivering legs. Growling in a tone that almost sounded offensive, Bug dashed over to the large black dragon. About two feet in front of the reptile, she parted all four legs and stood her ground. The fur that laid across her spine shot up, making her appear larger and puffier than usual.

"Bug!" Hea called out to her pup, hesitating only for a moment before following after her.

"Hea, wait!" Rye's arm shot outward.

Hea stood behind her Pomeranian, only stopping in front of Toothless. The larger black dragon leaned forward toward both girl and dog, no doubt taking in their new scents. At the small movement of the reptile, Bug began to yap in a high pitch.

"Toothless!" Hiccup turned to his pet.

Before anyone could make any moves, Hea jumped in front of her dog, her arms stretched outward, as if she were ready to take a hit from the dragon. Instead of attacking or even growling, Toothless slowly moved closer to Hea, his nostrils twitching along the way. He moved his snot to the young baker's chest and took a few good sniffs. Hea stood with her eyes shut and refused to take a breath.

The room remained silent as Toothless moved his face away from her bust and returned to his previous position. As the dragon pulled away, Hea allowed her clenched fists to relax, eyes to open and lips to part. She inhaled what seemed to be a shallow breath. Was she okay?

The sound of Bug's growls caused the large black reptile to turn his attention away from Hea. He lowered his head to the dog's level and moved around the girl's body. As he crept around her, he extended his nose in the dog's direction. The instant they came nose to nose, Bug released a small whimper and cowered back.

"Hey!" Hea jerked her frame in front of the pup's, "Stay away!"

"Hea, relax!" Rye called to her sister.

Instead of taking her order, Toothless continued to try and walk around Hea in order to get to Bug. His wide green eyes dilated at the sight of the tiny dog and he appeared to be intrigued. By this time the Pomeranian had her curled tail tucked between her legs, still while releasing small whimpers. When the dragon was only inches away from the dog, the young cook lifted her right arm into the air. Rye watched as her baby sister clenched her fist to the tightest extent and for a single second, she lifted her arm above her head. With a swift and quick jerk, Hea swung her arm toward, her fist slamming against Toothless' nose. The solid 'whacking' sound caused the Vikings in the room to flinch.

The older sibling looked on to see her best friend with her arm in a downward position, her fist still balled. Did she just hit Toothless? As if he was acting upon instinct, the dragon jumped back and peeled back his lips, revealing his large white teeth. The ears on his head sat flat on his head while he moved his head downward, his shoulders hunched over. Seeing his partner go on the defensive, Hiccup jumped in front of Toothless, placing his hands on the dragon's snout.

"Keep it away." Hea directed her venom toward dragon trainer. "I want nothing to do with it. If it were up to me, it'd be dead."

"Hea!"

Rye jumped into action and rushed over to her sister. Placing both her arms on the chef's shoulders, she pulled the girl away from both the dragon and his keeper. For the second time that night, the younger female pushed her arms off her shaking shoulders. Without taking her eyes off Toothless, Hea bent over and plucked the small dog off the floor. Once Bug was cradled in her arms, she stood up straight, her muscles stiff.

No words formed on her tongue as she tore herself away from the group of Vikings. In the completely silent, she stormed passed both Hiccup and his partner. Her echoing footsteps chilled the room and within moments of beginning, they faded until the young sheep herder left the hall.

"Well, it might that more than _one look_ then." Gobber corrected himself.

Great, just frikkin' wonderful! Rye felt her body grow limp the moment her sister disappeared from the party. Ugh! She was going to _kill_ someone, first someone ratted to the kids about Hea's secret fear of dragons _then_ Hiccup shows up with Toothless?! This was a complete mess. What was she supposed to do now, how could she fix this one? She might be an older sister to the stubborn and overly-proud Hea but she wasn't a miracle worker. This was going to take some time for sure.

This was going to take more than sleep to fix.

Act End.


	6. Act Six

Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Six

She pulled her tired body out of bed Hea placed her bare feet on the cold floor. Ugh, when was the last time she actually _had_ to get up at this ungodly hour? When she was by herself for the last year, she made all the rules! Hell, she didn't have to get if she didn't want, or even brush her hair in the morning before leaving her place of stay! But now? Not only did last night's party end in the worst way possible, she had to come home only to be told that she was going to work as a sheep herder _again_. What the heck was the point of traveling around if she wasn't even going to cook?! What was all that learning good for now!

Then again she didn't leave because she wanted to learn how to cook or even bake. No, she left for a reason she hadn't even come to terms with herself yet. She hadn't told _anyone_ why she left in the first place and she wasn't planning to. No one needed to know why she left, why she needed to get away from Berk as far as possible. Rye was a good mind reader but she couldn't have any idea about the truth for her 'trip'.

But that was all said and done, wasn't it? Why worry about it now, she was here and there was nothing she could do about it. Not just yet anyway. She was going to leave Berk again, there was no way she could stay with those flying rats around! It was just a matter of convincing Rye to come along with her that was the issue. Once Rye agreed to come with her, then she'd be the first to get in a boat and sail away in the sunset!

Shaking any lingering memory of the party from her mind, Hea pushed her exhausted body off of her bed and stood up straight. A shiver tore through her body, causing her arms to pull up and hug against her chest. Ugh, how could she forget how _cold_ it got here in Berk? She turned after a moment of trembling and moved over toward her lump of clothing that sat in a pile on the floor. Bending over, she peeked through the various articles of clothing until she found her grizzly pelt. She stood up straight and slipped the coat over her body with ease.

A snort from the floor caused the young herder to glance down. Standing with a look of fatigue plastered all over her face, Bug looked back up at her, eyes half lidded. Aw, she had gotten up along with her? Heh, not even the Pomeranian was used to the early morning job, was she? But whenever the dog had a chance to get out, she took it without hesitation even if it was at _this_ hour.

"Let's go," She said moving across the bedroom floor until she reached the doorway.

The sound of Bug's nails on the hard floor followed her from her bedroom until they reached the front door. With the early morning light that flooded through the windows, Hea reached over to the wall left of the front door to find her cane. Moving as slowly and quietly as possible, she opened the door and stepped outside. After making sure Bug had followed, she turned around and shut the door. No need to wake up Rye, this was _her_ job, there wasn't any need to wake her up just because _she_ had to!

The cool crisp air made the hairs on her arms stand up straight. Ugh, it should be against the law for it to be _this_ cold in the morning. Berk wasn't known for its superb weather but this was nuts! Maybe taking a leave for a year and a half was too long, it was going to take forever to get used to herding sheep again! Ah well, it could be worse, at least there weren't any dragons in sight…_yet_.

She had her fill last night, she didn't need to see another dragon the rest of her life! That _thing_, that Night Fury looked anything but tame, it growled at her! Like he was going to bite or something and what did Hiccup do? Nothing! Where was this great dragon trainer she had heard so much about? Even when Bug acted out of line, a good tap of the foot was enough to silence her but Toothless? Ugh, allowing dragons to live on Berk was a bad idea, really bad.

Hea moved across the small living space in the village until she found herself in front of the pen where the sheep were kept. Ah, it was almost nostalgic! Maybe if she didn't dread the mornings so much, she might have enjoyed it. In any event it was time to let the sheep out for the morning feed then in a few hours she could put them back and return to bed. The sooner this was done, the sooner she could get back to her room!

She placed her hand on the freezing metal latch of the main gate and popped it free with little effort. The old wooden gate released a rather loud creak as she pulled it wide open she stepped into the grassy area leaving the door open only long enough for Bug to enter along with her. Once both girls were safely inside the small space, she turned and locked the gate. Now time to release the sheep!

One by one, Hea let the small sheep out of their holding areas, allowing them access to their breakfast. She took a quick head count of each animal and after seeing that they were all in order and in place, she stepped over to a large rock that sat in the middle of the tiny field. Ugh, her butt was going to hurt later but she'd get used to it. When she was doing this before, she got used to it, she could do it again! The tired, shivering female laid her wooden cane on the floor and took her seat on the large stone.

It was going to be a fight just to stay awake.

Her few moments of silence were broken when the sound of crunching gravel caught her off guard. Before she could turn around to look behind her, she watched as Bug's ears stood up straight. Along with her watch dog, Hea turned and glanced over her shoulder to see a very familiar male standing in front of the gate.

What the heck was Hiccup doing here? Hadn't he had enough last night at the party? Ugh, he was probably here to try to convince her how sweet and tame dragons were. She wouldn't have it, no way! She those nasty reptiles and she always had and always would, no amount of talking would stop her from disliking them. Just because _one boy_ found _one dragon_ that seemed presentable didn't mean they were all domesticated!

She arched a brow as the young trainer opened the lock on the gate. In complete silence, he entered the small grassy area, locking the gate behind him after he was finished. He turned back around and once again they locked gazes. His bright green eyes stuck on her like she was some kind of stranger. Why did he have to stare at her like that? No hint of anger, disappointment or shame, just Hiccup. Wasn't he mad about earlier? After all she _had_ hit his pet.

Anyone else would be seriously pissed, right? Hell, if someone reached out and swatted Bug on the snout, she would be mad no doubt! But there he stood with no emotion on his face. Did he want to talk or something?

"Hey," He said as he approached her.

'_Hey'_, that was it? He was a Viking! Where was that aggressive demeanor everyone else seemed to have and handle so well? Hiccup had always been different, she was aware of that but could he really be _that_ different from his father and the people in the village? She knew him and he knew her and that was about it. When she and Rye first moved to Berk they saw each other but never spoke unless it was necessary. True she and her sister went out of their way _not_ to tease him or call him 'Hiccup the Useless' but they were by no means friends. Acquaintances and that was pretty much it. So why did he feel the need to talk to her now?

"Morning." She said before returning her eyes to the small herd ahead of her. "Why are you up so early?"

"Eh," His voice became louder the further he approached. "I was just in the area and I saw you and Bug coming this way."

Her chin lifted. Did he just call Bug by her name? Since when did he remember her name or even the fact that she _had_ a dog? "Oh." She cleared her throat.

He came around to her right side and took a seat on the rock beside her. He extended his prosthetic leg outward while bringing his right leg up. He rested his right elbow on his bent knee and exhaled. "My dad told mentioned you'd be our resident sheep herder again."

"Yeah." She grunted.

The small area fell silent. What was he thinking? When was the last time they actually sat down to talk like this, hell, had they _ever_ sat down to talk like this? Hiccup wasn't one to make any sort of social move, maybe he had gained some confidence over the past year? After all, he had grown a lot and not just physically. He was still small in comparison to his father and others like Fishlegs but he had done some maturing. Still cute in any event; she had always thought so but he always seemed shy. Too shy to communicate with anyway.

What did he want? Did he really come all the way out here, in the freezing fog, to convince her to like or accept the dragon lifestyle? What else would he be out here for, not for his health anyway. That leg _had_ to be hurting in the cold. Might as well cut to the chase, why waste any more time?

"So you here to encourage me to like Toothless?"

"You remembered his name." A light chuckle left his lips. "That's a good sign."

"I'm serious." Hea paused and for the first moment since he arrived, turned to look at him.

"No," He answered, her emerald eyes darting off in a different direction. "I can't force you to like Toothless or any other dragon."

What? She narrowed her field of vision at the smaller boy. "Then why are you here? I was sure you'd be out here to either yell at me for last night or persuade me to like dragons."

"I never really forced anyone to like dragons." He said, his right hand clenching to make a fist. "And about last night, I didn't know you were scared of them and-"

"I'm _not_ afraid of dragons." She hissed.

"_Okay_," He paused to correct himself. "I didn't know you disliked them that much, no one told me. I would have left Toothless outside the village if I knew that. Did living here really rub off on you that much?" He asked, finally turning her way.

"What?"

"You hate dragons," He said with a shrug. "You aren't a Viking but you dislike them? I'd say we rubbed off on you."

She felt the edges of her lips begin to curl in a small smile. "I guess so." Why did he have to make her laugh? This was no time to be making jokes! "But you never answered my question," She allowed her smile to fade.

His eyes once again moved away from her. "I wanted to make sure you were okay, and I haven't seen you in a while."

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" When had his voice become so soothing?

"Wasn't anything to find out there." She lifted her right hand to her head and ran her fingertips to her brown locks. "It was more like a getaway then an adventure anyway."

Oh shoot, did she just say that? Hea felt her lips snap shut. What the heck? When did she become so open with _anyone_ other than Rye? Then again how long had she been out alone? Maybe she _needed_ someone to talk to. Talking with Bug was fine but she didn't exactly reply with any kind of advice.

"What were you getting away from?"

That _would_ be the next logical question. She took in a deep breath through her nose and held it for a moment. What was she supposed to do, lie? He had never given her a reason to dislike him or find him untrusting so why lie? After all, if there was anyone on Berk, besides Rye, that would understand any kind of trouble, it would be him. How many years did he go being a social outcast? As long as he didn't go blabbing her private information to anyone else, it would be okay, right?

Because Rye didn't need to know, not yet anyway.

Releasing the stale air in her lungs, Hea pushed her body off her stone seat. She stood up straight, back facing the dragon trainer. If she was going to pour her heart out to him, she wouldn't let him see her face. If she started to cry, she wouldn't forgive herself. She couldn't cry in front of a Viking, she'd look pathetic. After what he'd been through, her problems were _nothing_. Why disrespect him by shedding any kind of tear?

"I couldn't stay here after what happened with Rye." She admitted aloud.

"Ah," What sounded like a heavy sigh passed his lips. "I get it. You don't have to get into it if you don't want to."

She froze. Without thinking, she glanced over her shoulder and her eyes landed on him. He sat in the same position, looking at her with sympathy. _Sympathy_. Since when did Vikings feel anything but rage? Anyone else here would have dug at her for an answer and here he sat, willing to end the conversation on the ground that it might make her upset. Would anyone else, besides Rye, give her that kind of respect? And what had she done to deserve or receive that kind of respect? No, she wasn't worthy of such kindness, not after running away.

"I can't stay here now." Her mouth went into motion before she could think about what to say next. "I can't live with dragons."

Turning her chin forward once more, she stared out at the small herd of sheep. What the heck was she doing here? Why was she in this place at this moment, talking to him? There had to be a reason, she came back for a reason, right? She didn't believe in coincidences or flukes. She had survived her journey across different lands and islands and Rye had survived her burns for a something other dumb luck.

"When she got hurt like that, I thought she was going to die for sure." She continued to speak, even if her pride cracked along the way. "Her burns looked so deep and she screamed so much, after a while I thought it might have been easier if she _did_ die. I was sure, if the burns didn't kill her then some kind of infection afterwards would and I was _scared_."

He remained silent.

"I couldn't think about our last conversation or what our last meal would have been. To sit there and watch her suffer wasn't just killing her, it was killing _me._ I couldn't watch it happen, I couldn't watch her die."

What kind of sister would even _think_ those kinds of things about her sibling? How could she be so selfish? When her sister was suffering and possibly dying, all she was worried about was herself. What kind of _person_ did that make her? It didn't make her a great Viking, chef or even sheep herder, it made her a selfish coward.

"So I left."

_I was a coward and I ran away._

"After she was better, I left." She repeated herself in a voice that began to tremble. "I thought that the further away I was from her then the less I would care. I thought that if something happened to her while I was away and I heard about it through a letter it wouldn't hurt so much. If it was through the grapevine, the news would sting like it would to sit there and _watch_ it."

Silence. Now what was he going to think of her? And what if the truth got around to everyone, what would happen then? They would hate her. Hell, she hated it. She wasn't strong enough to take everyone's reactions. If they hated her, it would hurt. She wasn't like _him_, the idea of being called 'useless' or 'a coward' was terrible; worse than a nightmare, only second to losing Rye.

"That's why I can't stay here." Beyond all the pain in her chest she continued, "If there's a chance that she'll get hurt again…I-I can't take that risk. And as long as there are dragons on Berk, there's a _chance_ that she'll get hurt again."

"Will she go with you?"

She stiffened. Again without consent from her mind, she spun around to face Hiccup. His stance changed from moments before, now he sat up straight with both hands placed on the stone beneath him. He stared at her with a kind of seriousness she had not seen before. Like he was actually listening, like he _cared_. Was he judging her? It was too hard to tell but why did her heart tell her 'no'? He had been through a lot, more than she would _ever_ face in a lifetime so he had to understand, right? He was by no means stupid but he was a Viking and Vikings weren't supposed to feel sympathy for others.

Right?

"She's already said she won't come with me." Her dark-colored eyes darted away from the younger male. "But I won't stop trying."

"You were alone for over a year, can't you go on your own?"

"I can't be alone anymore." She released a small sigh. "I was alone for so long and it wasn't easy. It goes against everything I just said but…I need her. More than anyone."

"Hm."

Hea glanced up to see the boy looking away from her. Was he mad? She looked away from him once again, this time turning her attention to the small ball of fluff on the grass. Bug laid with her body curled tight, no doubt snoring the morning and her confession away.

What was she supposed to say now? Was she supposed to apologize for striking Toothless at the party? After all, it wasn't like it was the Night Fury's fault she was so traumatized. Maybe she overreacted but did that warrant an apology? She was scared of dragons, scared of what they could do to a person, scared of what they could do to _her_. It would only take one accident for a dragon to hurt or kill someone she loved. She couldn't handle it if it happened again.

"You know, if you leave Berk there's a chance the next village you go to might have dragons." His voice broke her out of her thoughts. "Do you want me to teach you a few things before you leave?"

Where did this come from? After her lengthy, depressing confession he responds with such a simple question? Was he listening at all?! Maybe she was looking for advice in the wrong place, it wasn't like _Hiccup_ would be great with social interaction. Then again the last year had been 'different'.

"Uh," She paused for a moment. "Like what?"

"The basics." He looked back up at her, this time with a lighter expression. "Maybe then you won't be so scared…" He stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat, "I mean maybe you won't _hate_ them so much afterward."

The basics? What kind of basics were there? Was he trying to expose her to them in order to make her unafraid and if that was it, why would he take time out of _his_ day to do so? It wasn't like she had ever done anything for him in the past. Maybe he just wanted peace between humans and dragons in general, either way where did it leave her? If exposing her to a dragon would make the fear stop was it worth it?

Okay, she had just poured her heart out to an outcast Viking; something she hadn't even done with her sister and now he wanted her to test the waters with, she assumed, was a Night Fury? Ugh! What did she have to lose?

Shaking any logical thought out of her head she held her breath and spoke. "Fine! I'll do it."

"Good." He nodded his head once. "We can start tomorrow."

"Just you and I?"

"Just you, me and Toothless."

She lifted both hands to chest-level. "I'm not promising anything but if it'll help then I'm going to _try_."

"Okay." He flashed her the smallest hint of a smile.

She could do this, she could _totally_ do this…right? If she could stop those near-panic attack episodes whenever she saw a dragon then maybe things would be smoother. Then if she could show Rye that she wasn't scared any more then she had a better chance at convincing her to leave. No one had to know that she would always be terrified to dragons. As long as she got out of range, that was all that mattered.

Act End.


	7. Act Seven

Note: I had a recent question in a review that I'd like to answer for everyone: _Am I going to use elements from Riders of Berk?_

And to be honest, I'm not sure yet. I have to be the lamest fan ever because I've only watched two or so episodes. I have to catch up! So the answer is, I might and I might not. Whatever inspires me, I'll do it. Thanks for the question, I look forward to more if you have them! Thanks and enjoy the story! (Horray for Hiccup P.O.V finally!)

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Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Seven

Awkward silences were never a good sign, no matter what situation. Sure, they didn't have a whole lot to talk about, but any kind of conversation would be nice. Maybe she could start off with how the past year and a half went or where she had been? Hm, then again if she didn't want to talk, he wasn't going to force her. Also the fact that he was a dragon trainer and she was a dragon hater, didn't stir up much in the ways of conversation.

Best leave the chitchat for the training lesson anyway.

Hiccup sighed to himself as he stepped through the dense woods, Hea not far behind. Hanging over his left shoulder was a large sack full of fresh fish. It was best to get Toothless in a good mood before they started working. All he needed was for the Night Fury to bear his fangs at the terrified girl again.

Because under it all that's what she was, a scared little girl. She could act as tough as she wanted but he knew the truth. He had known the truth even before she actually admitted it. He could see it on her features, the way she looked when she came face to face with Toothless. He'd seen it so many times with the other villagers; he knew fear when he saw it. She didn't have to say anything…

But she did. What possessed her to pour out her heart to him earlier was something he could never guess. Maybe she needed someone to talk to, after all how long had she been alone in her travels? Ah well, it didn't matter why she had told him, all that mattered now was that he needed to teach her how to approach dragons without getting hurt. She couldn't just walk up to any dragon, trained or not, and swat at it. She would end up getting hurt sooner or later that way.

"_And I was _scared_."_

Hiccup inhaled a deep breath of fresh forest air through his nose, while his eyes darted to the right. He could see her out of the corner of his eyes. Was she scared now? Scared like in the moment he was when he first saw Toothless, scared like the way the Night Fury looked back at him? It was simple to explain what being afraid meant but actually feeling it meant so much more. There were so many levels and depths to fear, not to mention the wave of questions that followed with the feeling. What could he say to make the fear go away? What did _he_ do to make the fear vanish?

Back then, he did what he had to. There wasn't any real time to run away or cry, he only acted on the impulse feelings in that moment. And that impulse told him that he couldn't hurt another living being, dragon or not, hurting something that looked _that_ scared didn't deserve to die. Even with all the brutal techniques and lessons he learned with Gobber, actually using his knowledge in battle just seemed…brutal.

Maybe she acted out that night at the party because she was scared. She always seemed like a rash person anyway. After all, Rye had called out to her before the incident with Toothless happened, maybe her older sister knew her younger sis would act out like that? Hm, he had to assume so.

Maybe the feeling of being scared brought out anger in some people. After all, his father wasn't exactly happy about finding out about Toothless. He was so mad that day, the rage he saw in Hea's eyes looked so much like his. When someone's that mad is it even possible to change their opinion? Then again, after a fierce battle and losing his leg, Stoick the Vast, his dad, had accepted it. Who would have guessed? If there was hope for his dad then there was defiantly hope for her.

It was just gonna take some time.

If there was a chance he could make things more peaceful on Berk, he was going to jump at it. Besides, if hating dragons made Hea an outsider, then he would make every effort to change it. No one needed to know what it felt like to be an outcast. If he could save her the hurt of rejection from the Viking community then he wouldn't hesitate.

The dragon trainer felt his feet come to a stop, almost as if it were instinct. He lifted his chin and squinted his eyes as he watched the midday sunlight peer through the trees. Ah, the cove it was about time. He'd had just about enough of the silence. Maybe if he got her to open up, she'd start to talk. Then again, girls were always a mystery. Astrid opened up though, pretty easily too; so maybe Hea would too?

"We're here." He said as the sounds of her footsteps came to a halt.

"Here?" She whispered, appearing at his side with a set of wide eyes.

"Yep." He nodded a single time. "This is the cove where I found Toothless trapped."

Hea took a few steps ahead of him and gazed down at the small grassy area. What was she thinking? No doubt Rye had filled the young cook in on everything that had happened while she was gone. But how much did she really know? He couldn't be sure, he'd just have to act as if she knew everything and if any questions followed, he'd be there to answer them.

"It's a steep drop to the bottom." She spoke with hesitation, taking a single step backward.

"It's not as bad as it looks." He exhaled. "Well, come on then."

With the bag secured over his shoulder, he stepped forward and couched down against the stone's edge of the cove. With a gentle push he moved his prostatic leg out ward and slowly made his descent down the wall. Ugh, this part was never easy, even with two legs. Ah well, might as well get it done and over with right?

As both feet hit the bottom of the grassy glade, he placed the large woven drum on the ground and looked back up. There he saw a very uncoordinated Hea making her way down the stony ledge. He watched as she clutched the rock with her hands, as if her nails were some sort of claws to help her stay in place. One jerky movement after the other and she dropped to the floor with both feet. At least she didn't fall, maybe she'd have an easier time getting up the ledge then she did coming down.

After taking a moment to dust off her clothing, Hea looked back to him. "Was it a bad idea to tell you now that I have no upper body strength?"

He cocked a brow. "Okay, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm pretty sure I won't be lifting myself back up that wall." She spoke in a tone _way_ too calm for what she had just said.

Wonderful, there went the thought that she'd be more graceful going up than coming down. Hiccup grunted and lifted his left hand to his face. He proceeded to run his fingertips through his brown locks before speaking. "We'll figure something out."

"So," The female cleared her throat, no doubt feeling anxious. "Where is he?"

Hm, she was actually referring Toothless as 'he' rather than 'it'? That was a step in the right direction. Maybe it wouldn't take that long after all, then again his luck always had a habit of changing in a minute. Ah well, things would work out somehow.

"He's around. He's probably heard us already." Hiccup turned his eyes away from her and moved deeper into the cove.

"Y-you think so?" For the first time he heard her voice take on a trembling, shaking pitch. So she was scared.

"Don't worry," Hiccup continued, as he moved toward his large bag. "If he hasn't hurt me yet, he won't hurt you, I promise."

"Hmm…" Still sounding unsure, the sound her of shifting clothing left him to assume that she scoping out the area. "You know I've been nipped by Bug before, does _he_ nip too?"

As he bent over to open the oversized satchel, he felt a small smile tug at his lips. She sounded like a kid! Was this how she was all the time, behind closed doors when she was alone with her sister? In the few years he knew _of_ her, he had always seen her as any typical female someone would find on Berk: a headstrong, alpha female that was more than willing to do any job a man could do. But here she was, scared like an actual human.

"I still have all ten fingers." He replied as his hands found the latch to the bag. "Contrary to your beliefs, dragons eat fish not people."

"Tastes change, you know." He could almost _feel_ her shutter. "After eating a few plump Vikings, a dragon could change eating habits."

After unlatching the bag, he wasted no time in flipping open the lid to the large woven container. "You'll be fine, just listen to everything I say." He stood up straight once again and glanced over his shoulder to see the female standing with her arms crossed over her chest. "You didn't bring any weapons like I asked you not to, right?"

Hea's wide and glassy eyes stopped scanning the area for a brief moment and she settled her vision on him. "No weapons." She said with a small shake of her head.

"Good." He nodded.

"You know I feel really uncomfortable-"

Before the older woman could speak any further the sound of rustling bushes and crunching gravel silenced her. Ah, there he was, it was about time he showed up! Hiccup faced forward to see the large Night Fury emerging from a row of thick brush. The dragon's nostril's twitched with each step forward, no doubt smelling the meal of fish he had brought. The young trainer stepped away from the container and approached the reptile with a smile.

"Toothless," He said stepping to one side, "This is Hea."

Hiccup watched as the dragon's large green eyes moved away from him and landed on the tall female about ten feet away. The moment girl and beast locked gazes, the beast tensed. With all of his muscles tight and stiff, Toothless laid his ears flat on his head and began to curl his lip.

It was only logical to expect Toothless to be on edge whenever _she_ came around, after all, she had hit him two nights earlier. Ah well, it was time to mend their strained relationship.

"Hea," Hiccup placed his right hand on Toothless' head. "This is Toothless."

He looked to see the shaken female still fearful. Just as Toothless had tightened his body, it appeared as if she had done the same. With her hands clenched to her chest, she looked as if her breathing had picked up in pace. A small trickle of sweat moved down the side of her face while her eyes were large and dilated to the fullest extent.

"First," He spoke in a firm tone, even if she looked like she was about to turn tail and run. "Show him that you're unarmed."

She hesitated at first. Her eyes darted from the dragon and over to him. She watched him with the same look he'd seen in Astrid's face the first time he asked the blonde to ride Toothless. It was obvious that she was scared but was she beginning to panic? Was that sense of 'fight or flight' kicking in and making her heart race?

Either way, she soon complimented his request by spreading her arms out to her sides. After showing Toothless she held nothing in her hands, she lifted her pelt jacket off of her shoulders and tossed it aside. Showing off her small sleeveless shirt and basic pants, she turned a single time to show she held no weapons behind her back.

Hiccup glanced down to the dragon to see that the reptile still held strong. With his eyes watching every inch of movement on the female's side, his muscles began to relax. Beneath his fingertips he could feel Toothless begin to settle down, that was a good sign.

"Good." He smiled down at his partner.

"He looks like he's going to tear me apart."

He flinched to the sound of her deep voice. Removing his attention from his best friend, Hiccup looked back to the nervous girl. At this point her hands had returned to her chest while her jaw seemed clenched. While Toothless had begun to relax his stiff body, she remained tense.

But it was time for phase two. "Okay." His voice caught her eye, forcing her to lock gazes with him. "Don't make any sudden movements and try not to make too much serious eye contact."

She gulped.

The trainer removed himself from his pet and stepped toward the large woven barrel of food he had brought along. He then reached down into the container and brought out a fish into the midday light.

"Hold out both hands flat." He looked at the female.

Hea was quick to part her lips and arch her right brow. But she did as he requested. She moved both hands outward and flipped her hands over so her palms were exposed. Without a word or even a glance, he stepped toward her and placed the slimy creature in her hands. She flinched upon contact and curled her upper lip in the slightest manner. So she wasn't a big fan of fish? Eh, he couldn't blame her, he wasn't either.

_Here goes nothing._

"Okay," Hiccup took a few steps away from her. "Toothless is going to eat out of your hands. Just stay calm and don't make any sudden, jerky movements."

"Wait," She clenched her fingers around the cold fish. "This is too much," She said in a hasty tone. "I don't want him that close yet!"

He approached her for the second time, retracing the back steps he had taken seconds earlier and lifted his arms to her. He placed his hand over the fish and looked her straight in the eye. "I know what I'm doing. Now relax your hands and keep your palms flat, okay?"

"But!"

"You'll do fine, just remember everything I told you just now."

Her brows flipped upside down and her parted lips began to close. She took in a single breath through her nose and held it. Moments later and one by one, her fingers straightened out until she had done what he'd asked of her. Her body remained frozen over with fear but he couldn't wait forever. Once she saw that up close Toothless was nothing to be afraid of, her fear would disappear. The sooner, the better.

He glanced over his shoulder to see his partner waiting, his mouth watering with hunger. At least _he_ seemed excited. Hiccup pulled himself away from Hea and stepped backward once again. "Toothless," He said in a soft tone, "Go ahead."

The Night Fury wasted no time in approaching the quivering girl. With eyes now wide and seemingly fixated on the fish in her hands, he walked with little hesitation. The dragon's tongue slipped over his lips the closer he came, geez how hungry was he? Once the distance between woman and dragon came to a close, Hiccup lifted his hand into the air, signaling Toothless to stop. Doing as he was told, the reptile stopped mid-step and plopped down on the floor in a seated position.

"Now," He looked back to Hea. "Move your arms out to him."

The deep breath she had held the moment he stepped toward her released in a small whisper of a sigh. She pulled in her bottom lip and began to bite it as her eyes darted away from both him and his dragon. She moved her arms outward almost as if it hurt. Once her limbs were extended as far as possible, she completely turned her chin away from Toothless and again held her breath.

"Toothless," Hiccup turned to his partner, "Slowly."

The dragon glanced his way for a short moment, almost in question then he looked back to the fish. Doing as instructed, he moved his head toward Hea's hand in slow motion. Almost as if he were still cautious of her, he watched her eyes with extreme concentration. Gaze darting from her face back down to the fish, he moved closer and closer until he was just inches away from her hands. Toothless parted his lips in the slightest manner after closing the distance between them.

The sound of Hea exhaling caught Hiccup's attention. He glanced her way for a moment to see her chest moving up and down in a rapid manner. Was she panicking? She had her whole bottom lip beneath her front teeth as her arms began to shake beneath the pressure. A gasp left body as if she were anticipating Toothless' touch, hopefully this would all turn out all right.

All he needed was another outburst like that night at the party.

Hiccup returned his eyes to his dragon. He watched as Toothless stuck out his bright pink tongue and inch or two. His green eyes still darting from girl to fish, he moved in just enough for his tongue to touch the scales of his meal. He licked a single time and pulled his muscle back into his mouth. Still watching Hea for any sudden movement, the dragon licked his lips and went in for a second tasting.

His muscle snaked out once again, this time faster and what seemed was more trust. With little hesitation this time around, he pressed his tongue against the base of the fish and to top of Hea's palm. The moment his tongue touched her skin, she flinched _hard_.

Squealing as if she had been burnt by a hot skillet, she dropped the fish and tore her body away from Toothless. She jerked backward and took a few clumsy, fumbling steps rearward all the while her arms flying back and forth. As she ran _backward_, her right ankle caught on the large woven satchel he had brought with him. She screamed again, no doubt feeling another strange sensation against her body, and kicked hard enough to fall backward onto the grass.

As she tumbled back, the large bag toppled over with her, spilling the large amount of dead fish onto the ground. Not wasting a second or a single fish, Toothless leapt forward and began to devour the food on the floor.

"Wow," Hiccup crossed his arms over his chest. "He was pretty hungry."

The sound of her heavy breathing forced him to look at her. Hea was on the floor, kicking her body even further away from Toothless. Her face had gone pale with fear while multiple drops of sweat rolled down the side of her temple.

"Not bad." He said with a smirk. "You're doing better than I thought."

Act End.


	8. Act Eight

I wanted to say thanks for the overwhelming feedback, watches and favs from you guys. I really, really appreciate it and I'm sorry if I don't get a chance to PM everyone. Anyway, this chapter is pretty long, sorry. Hope you like it!

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Unnecessary Culture Shock

Act Eight

"Well, seeing as there's no fish left, I guess we have to leave feeding until next time."

Next time?! As if there'd be a _next time_! This was enough; there was no way she'd ever get near another dragon! That Night Fury nearly chomped off her hand! Didn't he know what would happen if she lost a hand? She'd go nuts, she couldn't live like Gobber! Ugh!

She could feel her lungs burning from the rapid breathing while her left calf cramped in a way she'd never felt before. That was also going without mentioning the slimy, sticky dragon drool all over her hands. Eh. Hea glanced down at her right hand and began to wipe her hand on the grass. It wasn't as nice as a towel but it would do for now.

_No amount of soap will get me clean enough!_

"Are you okay?"

The sound of Hiccup's voice forced her to glance upward. She watched as the younger boy looked at her with a small smile. What could possibly be funny at a time like this?! Oh and his sarcasm wasn't helping! _Doing better than he thought_? Real funny. Then he had the nerve to ask if she was okay, like he cared or something. Hea forced her bottom lip outward and shot him her best scowl.

"He was gonna eat me!"

His smile vanished. "That's dramatic."

"He was _tasting_ me." She shuttered, finally removing her semi-dry hands from the grass.

"He licked you," Hiccup moved his right hand to his hip. "I told you to stay still."

"I was scared!" She whined back and clenched her hands together in front of her chest. Oh man did she just use the word 'scared'? Ugh, great. "I mean I wasn't really _scared_ per say…more like startled." Hea corrected herself with a nervous giggle. "You know what I meant."

"Sure, sure." He moved his left arm out toward her.

Ah what was the use? It was obvious that she was scared! Anyone with eyes and ears knew she was afraid of dragons, hell the whole island knew! What was the point in hiding it? Here she was being schooled in the 'ways of the dragon' and she was still ready to turn tail and run off like some kind of kid. She knew, Hiccup knew and that little black rat probably knew! And after that confession the other day, why hide anything from the trainer? After all, he had sat and listened to her most private of problems without any judgment, might as well throw all of her pride to the side.

Hea glanced up at the boy to see his offer still standing. With a small defeated sigh she took his hand within her own and with his help, pulled herself off the ground. After finding her footing she looked down to her dusted clothing. Wonderful, another thing to be embarrassed about. No point in cleaning herself up now, she already looked like a loser.

"Thanks." She looked to him with a frown.

"You said Bug had nipped you before." Hiccup spoke without any kind of hesitation. "Did that happen when she was a pup when you first met?"

Her brow lifted. "Yeah, why?"

"Okay." He nodded. "I'm guessing when she was little she was pretty untrusting right? It took her some time to get used to you?"

So, he _wasn't_ going to answer her first question? Whatever. "Of course," She answered regardless of her mental ranting. "She had just been weaned from her mother and was confused without her around. So?"

"Dragons only attack when provoked." He said in a simple tone, his eyes moving away from her and onto his partner. "And for hundreds of years they've been killed by Vikings for reasons _other_ than food. Don't you think that's reason enough to be cautious?"

What? How could he compare dragons with dogs? Dogs were domesticated, trained and bred for companionship. How could the two possibly be the same? There was no way Bug was anything like Toothless. Dragons were wild animals! Her small Pomeranian was an angel compared to a Night Fury, not to mention Bug didn't have the ability to spit fire on command!

But…

"_Dragons only attack when provoked."_

"_They had to bring food back to Red Death, or they'd all die."_

Rye had said that but was it true? Could that 'queen bee' of dragons really be that powerful, enough to control every other dragon within distance? It had to be true, Rye wouldn't lie to her. Besides if the whole village, including Stoick, said it was true, who was she to say it was a lie? She wasn't there and she didn't experience it. She had to believe in what Rye told her, her best friend and sister wouldn't make up a story like that. After all, before the whole incident went down, Rye didn't care for dragons either. Something had to change her mind. Was that 'something' Toothless?

"You wouldn't approach a feral dog by hitting it, would you?" Hiccup looked in her direction once again, this time with a look of seriousness and sternness she'd only seen in his father's eyes.

"No…"

"Then what makes a dragon any different?"

"I…" Hea moved her cocoa-colored eyes away from him. What was she supposed to say? She was wrong, she knew that now. But she didn't need him to cram the info and her failure down her throat! "I don't know…"

Had she really been wrong all this time?

"Untrained dragons are on edge all the time. They're afraid of being hurt or killed."

So that day when Rye brought Bug home in that small knitted blanket, that fear that little pup was feeling, Toothless and experienced that fear his whole life? That first night the small Pomeranian was home and the nip that broke the skin on her bottom lip was only a result of the pressure she had been feeling and it was that feeling that drove dragons and Vikings to fight for hundreds of years. It all came down to one simple emotion.

Ironic enough, it was that same simple feeling that led her to hate dragons.

"I…" Hea bright her hands to clench the fabric around her beating heart. "I didn't know… I…"

"No one did."

Her eyes were immediately drawn back to him. By this time his facial features had begun to relax. His brows lifted while his eyes seemed to soften. Why hadn't he told her this sooner? He could have told her all these things the morning he came to her when she was taking care of the sheep but he didn't. He could have called her out so much earlier but instead he _listened_ to what she had to say.

Did he wait on purpose? Did he wait until she was face to face with Toothless to tell her that she was wrong? Hell, he had even said she was wrong; all he did was explain things to her and give her facts. Instead of telling her she was misguided he _showed_ her the truth.

But even if she was wrong about dragons all together, that didn't mean the fear would just disappear.

"I understand." She said. It was the only thing she could think of to say.

Did she have the courage to admit, in this moment, that she was wrong?

_No._

"Anyway!" Hiccup's change in tone caught her off guard. "There is something else you should know about dragons. It's all about confidence."

Confidence? Hea lifted a brow. "Okay…"

"You have to let them know that you aren't nervous. Stand strong." He said, lifting his balled left fist to chest-level. "Like I said, dragons, especially untrained ones, are on edge already so they need a confident person to let them know they're safe."

"Let's face it, Hiccup, I'm still scared." She admitted with a heavy sigh. "No matter what, I'll always be scared, what can I do if I'm afraid?"

"We're working on it." He managed to flash her a small smile. "Come on, let's try again."

How could he be so positive? Even when she was being depressing, he always changed the subject and managing to make her smile, inwardly anyway. He seemed so sure of himself, was it that kind of confidence that allowed Toothless to be trained? This confidence, it had to be what made Hiccup the young man she was talking to. He would have never acted this way before, _something_ had to have changed. And for the better at that.

"Okay," He looked to the Night Fury. "Toothless, are you finished?"

As if on cue, Hea moved her attention away from the boy and turned to his pet. The young dragon lifted his face from the floor, leaving a wake of fish heads and tails sprawled out in front of him. Toothless turned to the sound of his name and looked to his owner with a set of wide eyes. Once every second or so, his bright pink tongue would slither out and run over his lips. He liked his meal, obviously.

"All right," Hiccup glanced over his shoulder, eyes landing on her. "I'm going to have you touch him."

"What?" She gasped for air as the question left her lips. "But-"

"You can do it." He narrowed his stare. "If Tuff can, you can."

That was true, but not only for Tuff but for the rest of the gang. Even Fishlegs had gotten over his fear of dragons, but did that mean she could to? If a group of teens _younger_ than her could grow so used to dragons that they all had their own pet, what could _she_ do?

Before any terrifying thought could enter her mind, she moved forward, _toward_ Toothless. "Fine!"

"Don't make any sudden movements, okay?" He spoke as she arrived at his side. "Now, move your arm out."

She gulped and lifted her right arm to her chest. "I'm scared…" She whispered under her breath, while she winced.

"It's no different than petting a strange dog." He leaned into her and muttered in a soft tone. "Act like you would if Toothless wasn't a dragon."

If that got her through this moment without having her hand chopped off, then she was going to stick by his advice. If he was still alive and kicking because he used the same techniques he was teaching her now, then it had to work. He wouldn't steer her wrong, would he?

_Like I'm petting a dog. I can do this._

She took in a single, silent breath through her nose and held it. Biting down on her bottom lip she moved her hand forward. In a motion that felt almost achingly slow, her arm crept further toward the Night Fury. If she was going to treat Toothless like a dog, then she was going to go all out. Once her arm was stretched out enough, she flipped her arm over, until her wrist was exposed. A dog needed to smell a new person before anyone could pet it, right? She had to let Toothless take in her scent before she made any further moves.

Through her narrowed stare, she watched as the black dragon moved closer, inch by inch. With his ears laid back and his eyes wide and dilated with what seemed to be curiosity and hesitation, he stopped once centimeters away from her hand. His nostrils began to twitch and the sensation of air moving above her fingers made goosebumps shoot up her arm.

After a few moments of silent sniffing. The dragon's ears moved back into their proper position. His dazzling green eyes moved from her hand to her face. He looked at her, almost like he was reading her soul. Was he looking for that confidence that Hiccup had talked about, or maybe he was waiting for her to make a sudden jerk like she had minutes before? Either way he stayed still.

"You can touch him now."

Her wrist spun around once again in the slowest movement possible. After her fingertips were pointed in his direction, she extended them out. After her digits became stiff with fear, she held still. The air in her lungs becoming stale, she shut her eyes and waited. What was she waiting for? She needed to do this, if not for herself then for her sister. Rye deserved a chance. If her best friend wanted her to try, she was going to try. She had to trust in Rye's belief in her. Her family would not steer her wrong.

"_Then stay."_

Finally allowing the air caught in her chest to release, Hea exhaled and moved her hand the last necessary inch until her fingertips came into contact with Toothless' snout. The warmth of his body relaxed her digits enough to where she placed her entire hand on his face. He was warm, how could he be warm? He was a reptile, wasn't he? Maybe he had been in the sun before they came to the glade.

He did not flinch or stiffen under her touch. How could a creature be this calm even after being struck by the same person in earlier days? Was this really what it was like to train a dragon? To have a dragon understand and be gentle with another person, it sounded so impossible at first but here she was, _touching_ a Night Fury. In the end, Rye was right; Hiccup had done the impossible, he had tamed a wild beast.

Her eyes fluttered open seconds later. The first thing to meet her gaze was the image of her hand laying on the reptile's nose. All five fingers spread out, it almost looked _normal_ to be touching a dragon. She pulled her stare away from her hand and glanced upward. Two giant green eyes stared back at her, not with hate or fear but with innocence.

She slowly pulled her arm away from the Night Fury while taking a shallow breath of air. The dragon pulled away just the same and relaxed back in his previous position. As she took her arm back toward her chest, she flipped her hand over and stared at her palm. For a brief moment she had connected with a beast she had always hated before. How was she able to muster enough courage to pull this one off? To actually touch the one thing that scared her more than anything…it was a miracle. Who did she have to thank for this turn around?

"_You can do it."_

"_He won't hurt you, I promise."_

She turned to the left. A different pair of green eyes stared back at her this time. Hea looked at Hiccup with her lips parted and brows arched to the top of her forehead. He did this, he helped her do all of this. He had gone out of his way to teach her the 'basics' and he ended up changing her mind about dragons completely. How could _one boy_ make her change? But it hadn't only happened to her, he, alone, had changed an entire village of Vikings…for the better.

She wasn't cured completely but it sure was one hell of a start.

"It's getting late, we should turn in." His eyes moved away from her.

"Okay." Hea stepped toward her grizzly pelt she had dropped earlier and plucked it off the dirt. She slipped the thick cloth over her shoulders and looked back to the silent male.

Hiccup paused for a moment, his eyes still focused on some distant object, and sighed. His eyes were half-lidded and his fists clenched tight. What was he thinking? He wasn't…mad, was he? What did he have to be mad about? He had just changed her way of thinking and possibly made her a _better_ person and here he was looking upset. Did she say something to make him disappointed or maybe she had triggered a bad memory in the moments that just transpired? Either way, he seemed focused _elsewhere_.

Why the hell did she care so much about _his_ emotions? Sure he was kind, cute and shy but that didn't mean she had to invest any feelings in him…did she?

_Ugh, stop thinking so much!_

"Let's get going then."

Before she could respond, she watched as the younger male broke away from her and stepped toward Toothless. What the heck? The moment the trainer arrived beside the dragon, the reptile stood up on all fours and bent his knees. Hiccup reached up to Toothless' back and began to fiddle around with the saddle.

"What…are you doing?" She asked.

"You've never ridden a dragon before." He finally turned her way. "It's time you started. Everyone else has."

Her jaw dropped. "What?! No, no way. I can't."

"Sure you can."

"No, no!" She shook her head back and forth. "I just touched him for the first time, I can't just jump on his back! Besides, I'm still scared, Hiccup."

"The best way to face your fears is to tackle them head on." A small smirk tugged at the ends of his lips.

Gah, did he learn that from his 'wise' father or what? "Look, I just want to get home in _one piece_, okay? I'm not ready for this."

"This is the fastest way." His smirk dropped to a frown. "You don't want to be late, you have the sheep to look after."

Did he have to rub salt into her wound? The fact that he was right was also a low blow to her strong pride. How dare he fight her with logic and truth! It totally went against everything she stood for, even if she was wrong. Gah! It also didn't help that she _forgot_ to tell Rye exactly what she was doing while she was out with him. Her older sister was probably throwing a fit right about now. Why did he have to be right?

"Just how high is he gonna fly?" Her voice cracked as the knot in her stomach tightened.

"High enough," He said with a shrug. "We have to be above the trees."

Hea pulled her eyes away from the Viking and turned her chin upward. Her eyes moved from the floor and up the trunk of a rather large tree. Up and up, it seemed to go on forever! When did trees get so tall?! It was unnatural for something that old to be so big. What the heck was she gonna do in the air, _that_ high up from the ground? Was now a good time to tell him that she had a fear of heights?

She turned back to Hiccup while her knees quivered. "Um, I kinda have a fear of heights…"

His right brow arched. "Is there anything you aren't afraid of?"

Her muscles became loose in an instant. The moment the question left his lips, her bottom lip poked out in her best pout and her arms strapped over her bust. "Not funny."

"Okay, okay." He looked away from her. "It'll be fine. We won't go any higher than the trees, all right?"

She inhaled a deep breath of air via her parted lips. She turned her attention away from both boy and dragon and looked up into the sky. It _was_ later than she originally thought it would be. Plus, he was giving her his word, and she trusted him before. He promised before that she'd be fine; this time wouldn't be any different, would it?

"Everything will be okay?" She asked, her eyes finding their way back to the young trainer. "Promise?"

His emerald green eyes flickered in her direction and for the shortest moment they locked gazes. "Promise."

"Fine!" She threw both hands into the air. "I've already fed and touched a dragon, why not ride one? But," Her left arm dropped to her side while her right arm stood at chest-level, her index finger lifted. "If I tell you to stop, you hafta do it, okay?"

"Got it."

"Let's go then." Shaking her head and dropping her arm, she stepped toward the boy.

"For someone who hates dragons, you seem eager."

"I just don't want to think about it," Hea sighed just as she arrived at his side. "The more I think about it, the worse it is. Now," She gulped. "How do you get on him?"

"Here," Hiccup moved in and placed both hands on the dragon's back. "Watch me."

Doing as he requested in silence, she watched as the small, slender boy placed his prosthetic foot in the pedal at Toothless' side. Once secured in the proper place, he hoisted his body upward. Once high enough, he swung his left leg over the torso of the dragon. He took a moment or two to adjust himself before he looked back at her.

"Ready?"

_I hope so._

Hea felt her stomach drop before she inched closer to the Night Fury. Hands and legs shaking she reached out to the reptile. Her fingertips touched his scaly skin and for a moment, her breathing hitched. Ugh, not only was she terrified of dragons but now she had to face her fear of heights too? This wasn't her day! How could her normal life turn so upside down within a few days?!

"Rye's done it."

What? Hea tore her eyes away from Toothless and looked upward. There she saw Hiccup staring down at her with another look of seriousness. What the heck was he talking about? She felt her heart pound in her chest and her legs trembling to the point of numbness. Her head was flying with all sorts of thoughts, so why could she just ask him 'what'? Why did she have to be so nervous?!

"Rye's ridden a dragon."

Wait was he referring to…?

"_It's time you started. Everyone else has."_

She had? When, how and with who? Had he taught Rye how to ride a dragon the way he was teaching her now? Did he have to go as slow with her sister as he had to with her? Was he this gentle with Rye?

"She…has?"

When he said 'everyone', he _really _meant everyone. He didn't just mean his newly found friends, he meant _everyone_. Did that mean it was really her time? He had said it was time but did he mean it? Why the heck would he go out of his way to make sure she wasn't scared anymore? What had she done to deserve that kind of kindness?

"Yeah." He pulled his right arm away from his pet and extended his open palm to her. "Come on."

Beyond all the shaking and quivering sensations in her arms and legs, she pulled forward. Just as he had, she moved her right arm out until her fingers extended all the way out. The distance between the couple closed and soon she felt the warmth of his touch against her own. The moment her hand fell into his, he clenched his palm. She repeated his action and clasped to him. This was the moment, she could do this.

With his help, she pulled her body upward until she was high enough on the animal to move her left leg over his body. She released Hiccup's hand and with both legs secured over Toothless, she settled into her seat. A burning pain in her thighs caused the cook to wince. What the? She looked downward to see her legs spread further apart than she thought they'd be. She'd heard riding horses could be painful for beginners but this was nuts!

"This hurts!" She grunted. "How do you deal with this?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "You'll get used to it."

She hummed to herself before trying her best to find a comfortable adjustment. Ugh, how could she 'get used to it'? Then again, saying that 'she'd get used to it' implied that she'd be doing this again. What was she supposed to say to that? He was so sure that she'd come back for more! Sure, she might think of dragons differently now but that didn't mean she was gonna stick around to get used to them!

She was still scared.

"Ready?"

"No," She huffed. "But let's go, it's getting late."

He faced forward and with one shrug of his shoulders spoke, "Toothless, let's get out of here."

The dragon let out a small grunt before spreading his large, black wings outward. Hea swallowed the spit that had gathered in her mouth and tensed. Ugh, this was nuts! And what was she supposed to be doing anyway, did she hold onto Hiccup or something? That was the only logical thought but with her mind racing with all sorts of terrifying thoughts, it was a bit hard to keep track.

_Deep breaths, you can do this. You've been through worse…right?_

She shut her eyes and gripped to her pants. She had to keep her eyes closed, it would be easier that way! All she needed to do was hold still and listen, nothing bad would happen if she wasn't watching. If she didn't see any danger then she would be scared. Simple as that!

The sound of Toothless' wings flapping a single time caused her to flinch. The air that moved through her hair was strong, how powerful was this dragon anyway? She couldn't think of that, she had to concentrate on listening. The second set of flapping wings sent goosebumps up her arms and forced her to tighten all of her muscles.

_Just listen, just listen!_

A roar ripped through the Night Fury and echoed through the dense forest. The unexpected sound made the tense female to lunge forward. She wrapped her arms around Hiccup's torso and gripped. She proceeded to bury her nose into his back while she released a small, muffled whimper into his shirt. The boy flinched upon contact but soon she felt his body relax against her grasp.

"You okay?" He asked, as Toothless' continued to flap his wings.

"No!" She shook her head, while her face was still in his back. "I'm scared!"

"You want off?"

What was the point? She was already on the flying rat, why not just make her day worse? "No, let's just go! I don't want to wait anymore!"

"You heard her, Toothless."

Even with her eyes closed and face buried in his back she could feel the wind around her body begin to move faster while the feeling of anything solid under feet faded away. Were they in the air? She tightened her hold on the trainer, almost as if he were some kind of blanket she held during the night. They were in the air, she could _feel _it.

"Hea, I need to breathe." Hiccup's back shifted a bit, as if he were looking back at her. "Can you loosen it up?"

She felt her fingers begin to relax. She turned her head to the right and released a small sigh. The death grip she had on the younger male had come undone but the sensation of the wind whistling passed her ears only grew. The chill from the air that shot through them made her shiver, how high were they? Was it always like this when he flew on Toothless?

_Where are we, are we almost home?_

She felt her eyes begin to flutter open. She just needed a peek, just to know where they were, they had to be halfway home by now, right? A bright baby blue sky was blurred at first sight but soon the white smudges cleared up and formed into clouds. Okay, there was sky but that didn't tell her where they were? Hea managed to pull the side of her face away from Hiccup's body. As she sat up straight she moved her eyes away from the cloudy sky and she looked downward. What seemed to be an endless supply of trees and greenery made her stomach drop. They weren't passed the forest yet? Gah! No way!

"Are we almost there?" She asked, her eyes moving from left to right.

"We just took off." Hiccup said without looking back. "It won't be long."

Great. Whenever Rye said things wouldn't take long, she had to wait forever! She couldn't do this! She had to think of something else, she had to pretend she was somewhere else. Then again the loud whistling wind and chill was hard to ignore. Even _with_ her eyes shut, she could still feel the lack of stability she had taken for granted when she had two feet on the ground.

Hea looked over the side of Toothless, how high up were they, was Hiccup keeping his promise? As she peeked the wind pressure that was being held back by the trainer's small body hit her full on. She winced as the wind made her eyes water and close shut before pulling backward. After she was safe behind Hiccup, she reopened her teary eyes, only to have the windy world around her spin.

Why the heck was she dizzy and even more so, why was there so much spit on her tongue?

The urge to swallow the spit in her mouth came but as she tried she felt her throat constrict. Ugh, what now? Before trying again to swallow, she shook her head from side to side. She had to get a hold of herself! The moment her head stopped shaking, she felt the world spin upside down. What the heck? Had Toothless flipped or something?

Removing her right hand from Hiccup's body, she moved her fingers to her face. A drop of cold sweat rolled down her temple. What the? When had she got so tired and why did it feel like her head was about to fly off her shoulders?

The knot in the pit of her stomach began to move up her until it was resting just under her rip cage. Ugh, why was her stomach acting up now? She could almost taste her lunch on the back of her tongue. No, no way. There was _no way_ she was feeling nauseous now. As the lump of saliva in the back of her mouth moved backward, she felt a burning sensation travel up the back of her throat.

"I need to get down!" She shouted.

"What?" Hiccup looked backward.

"Down! NOW!"

"Toothless, down!" He called out to his partner.

And taking his order directly and without hesitation, the dragon made a nose dive for the ground. She could feel the pressure from the descent make her body move backwards. Did it actually feel worse going down than it did to just stay going forward? No frikkin' way. As if on cue, her right hand wrapped around her mouth. She felt herself dry heave a single time, all the while she tugged at Hiccup's clothing.

_This cannot be happening!_

A sudden drop to the floor caused her to move her hand away from her mouth and look down. The wind had stopped running through her ear while the lovely image of brown dirt came into view. With one swift jerk, she moved both legs over one side of Toothless and dropped to the floor. Trying her best to balance on both feet, she toppled left and right until her knees hit the ground.

Once again the urge to throw up caused the dizzy girl to dry heave. Still clasping her lips she coughed and whimpered, there was no way she was going to puke here! She hadn't puked in _years_ and she was _not_ gonna break her record!

"Yeah, you're throwing up." Hiccup's voice did little to calm her nerves.

"I'm not gonna…" She spoke between her fingers.

"You get air sick, huh?"

Wasn't that much obvious? Hea pulled her hand away from her mouth, and huffed. She moved both open hands to the grass and waited. All while breathing as if she'd been running, she held her eyes shut and tried to calm her senses. She wasn't gonna throw up, not here and not now!

She could still feel the lump of phlegm and spit on the back of her tongue. Ugh, she had to get rid of it! With what little energy she had left, she hacked up the large bundle of mucus. After she was finished she allowed herself to sit up straight. Once up and more relaxed she allowed her eyes to open. Her right arm lifted and with the back of her forearm, she proceeded to wipe away any spit that remained on her mouth.

"Never again," She said, giving him a lethargic glare. "Never again."

Act End.


End file.
